Harmony in the Village: How Goodnestone Park Protected Its Neighbours with the Zone Array
Severe noise complaints and strict council restrictions posed a significant challenge in the sensitive village setting.
The Direct Acoustics Zone Array System proved to be the solution they needed
The Backdrop: A Delicate Balance
Goodnestone Park is a premier heritage estate, hosting approximately 15 high-end weddings annually between March and October. However, the venue faced a significant hurdle; its location. Situated in the heart of a quiet village, due to the topography of the countryside, the estate is subject to noise travelling easily on the wind to the ears of the local community.
Their high-end events were frequently the source of “considerable” noise complaints. With a business model dependent on securing council permission for a specific number of events each year, Goodnestone Park was at a crossroads. They needed to provide the 12:00 AM party finish that couples demand, without risking their relationship with the village or their planning permissions.
The Bespoke Bohemia Canvas: The Challenge. ofmarrying Architecture with Aesthetics
One of the venue’s primary event spaces is a beautiful customised version of the “mini orangery” range developed by Bohemia Canvas, a company with 25 years of experience in semi-permanent installations and a history of collaboration with Direct Acoustics. Constructed from glue laminate hard wood and steel, the system is designed to provide robust, long-standing temporary structures with various styles to suit the venue. The wooden frame is durable, standing up for long periods and offering many fixing points for securely hanging hardware.
Bohemia Canvas’s main concept is to provide temporary structures that translate the architectural style of a main building, considering aesthetics as equally important as practicality. Popular at stately homes and heritage sites, the tents are designed to complement their surroundings rather than “hinder them as some standard marquees can be a ‘blot’ on the land”. By working with the venue and its team, they ensure the structure is an aesthetic addition to the ground, which is crucial for preventing local people from objecting to the appearance.
Acoustic Environment:
The issue of sound containment is a significant consideration for the designers, particularly when dealing with rural neighbours. Unlike a solid structure, the canvas and open nature of the tent creates a challenging acoustic environment where typical sound reflection and absorption principles do not apply. This necessitated precise directional control to keep sound focused within the tent area and prevent spillover.
This issue of noise is either already raised by the time they start a project or something they recommend addressing, especially for new venues without experience with temporary structures. For the Goodnestone project, the Zone Array system was a requirement from the beginning, underscoring their consciousness of sound and community relations.
Structural Integration:
The non-permanent nature of the tent structure required a mounting solution that was both secure for the Zone Array technology and entirely non-intrusive to the canvas or pole design. The system had to seamlessly integrate to work above the dance floor, without compromising the aesthetic charm or structural integrity of the ‘bohemian’ feel.
Aesthetic Preservation:
A key component of the tent’s appeal is its visual atmosphere. The sound solution needed to be discreet, ensuring that the technology complemented, rather than distracted from, the unique design. One of Bohemia Canvas’s unique charm is their hand-printed customised linings and trims, where in this case the design continuity is maintained with chinoise, which mirrored the wallpaper from inside the historic building of Goodnestone Park.
The Result: Silence (Where It Matters)
Since the installation, the change in the venue’s relationship with the local council and residents has had a significant difference.
- Zero Noise Complaints: From a complaints point of view, the issues have vanished. The Zone Array contains the sound energy within the dancefloor, preventing the “drift” that previously led to village-wide disturbances.
- Business Security: By mitigating noise issues, the venue can confidently secure the weddings needed for a successful season.
- Extended Celebration: Couples can now enjoy high-energy DJ sets until midnight, knowing the sound is controlled and contained.
The Takeaway: Beyond an Audio Solution
For Goodnestone Park, the Direct Acoustics Zone Array is more than just a sound system; it is a critical investment that secured the venue’s future and repaired vital community relationships.
The system acts as a true insurance policy for their business model:
Business Security: By definitively solving the issue of “considerable” noise complaints, the Zone Array neutralised the significant threat posed to their planning permissions, allowing them to confidently secure the 15 high-end weddings required for a successful season.
- Community Harmony: The installation has served as a bridge to a better relationship with local residents and the village council. Noise issues have “effectively disappeared” from a complaints perspective, transforming a source of conflict into a peaceful co-existence.
- Customer Experience: Critically, the controlled sound containment allows Goodnestone Park to offer a high-value service, high-energy DJ sets until midnight, meeting modern couples’ demands without risk.
In short, the Zone Array provided the venue with an unparalleled level of precision control, proving to be an essential tool for any unique or historic venue operating under strict noise constraints.
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