We live next to the M1 and thousands of cars speed past every day – but we love it thanks to clever privacy fence trick
RESIDENTS living next to the M1 say thousands of cars speed past every day - but they love it thanks to a clever privacy trick.
The roaring motorway runs past a vast housing estate in Shepshed, Leicestershire.
But visitors are stunned when they come to the estate and cannot hear the thundering traffic.
A high fence acts as an "acoustic barrier" - completely blocking out the noise.
Local Joe Jarvis, 28, said: "It's relatively peaceful but you would think it would be loud and disruptive.
"We must only be 200 yards from the motorway, you can see the lampposts towering over but you can't see the road or any traffic, or really hear it."
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"When friends visit they expect the sound of the motorway to be epic - they can’t believe that is it so quiet.
"Most people would be put off buying a house beside a motorway but it's a dream home for us."
"We have no neighbours in front, just a huge fence and the M1 and it doesn’t give us any hassle."
"There is an acoustic barrier, so the land in front dips then rises up to a bank with greenery and fencing blocking out the sound and view. It works wonders."
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He added: "On occasions, on the wrong day, a wet and windy one, the noise of traffic is a louder with the with lorries and cars.
"But we do enjoy living here so do our cats. We've tracked one of them walking for three miles along the motorway."
His wife Jodie said: "It's not silent, there is a bit of noise but we got used to it in the first couple of months.
"We got our home a few years ago and it was good value.
"It has three beds and three bathrooms and we bought it for £225,00.
"We recently had it valued, and it has gone up £50,000."
ON THE FENCE
Mum-of-two Victoria West said: “If the motorway is ever closed at night for repairs it is deadly quiet - I have trouble sleeping.
"You get used to the noise, it’s not loud but it is there in the background and it’s soothing and helps me sleep.
"I keep my windows open all night and at times it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop."
A huge wooden privacy fence reinforced with metal bolsters and a sound screen blocks out the eight-lane motorway.
Hospital nurse Max Machivenyika said: "When you are inside you don't hear a thing.
"I’ve got a three-bed house which I bought two years ago for £250,000.
"If you were buying in Leicester it would be twice as much.
"We have no neighbours in front of us - apart from the M1."
Mum-of-three Amy said she loves living next to the "white noise" of the M1 - but has occasionally been woken by horror crashes.
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She said: "There was a crash, I think fatal one a few weeks ago at night.
"It was so loud I thought my car parked outside had exploded."
