Increasing numbers of Lewisham residents are becoming plagued by a “low, humming noise” around the clock.

Some people living in Ladywell and Sydenham have dubbed the noise as a “nuisance” and are struggling to sleep at night.

The noise is reported to have begun to bother people in March 2024 and residents claim it is ongoing.

One resident suffering from the ongoing, mysterious noise is Tony Eadson from Sydenham.

He has contacted the council to report the issue and has been researching online to try and work out what the source of the noise could be.

Tony said: “I'm an electrician by trade and I'm aware of a similar problem with generators and transformers.

“However, you'd need a large transformer or generator to hear it over a long distance.

“As power demand has gone up over the years, I’m aware of new sub stations being built all over London to supply this demand - especially for EV charging points.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that most people are hearing it late at night.

“This is when most people charge an EV because the cost of electric is cheaper.”

He reported the noise to the council around two months ago, finding that the hum appeared to disappear for a while.

However, it has now “returned with a vengeance”, he said, with the sound pestering him 24 hours a day.

He said: “I can't sleep through it as it feels like it’s in your head.

“It’s a pulsating hum.

“There are people in Sydenham saying they've heard this hum since 2009. 

“I’ve been here since 2008 but I haven’t heard it until about two years ago roughly.”

Phil Catchpole, who lives in Ladywell, has also been troubled by the noise since building work in the old railway and in Lewisham centre have been completed.

He said: “It is 24/7, but on the odd occasion is reduced but can still be heard and noticed.

“Very rarely does it drop below audible - although it is still present and can be measured.”

Phil describes the sound as a “motor noise” with the tone and level changing dependent on where you are in Lewisham, something he attributes to the acoustics of the area.

He claims that he has measured the noise as being 416 Hz Approx -60DB which, according to DecibelPro, is the level of a normal conversation between two people sat one metre apart.

Phil added: “As this area has been altered and built up the noise has become more prominent and intense, noise is being transferred differently around Lewisham with the intense building works.

“Where before the noise was dissipated as there were no obstructions it is now being reflected back toward the houses behind Lewisham.

“If you are outside the house the noise is completely different from inside, this is because the noise is being generated within the premises, rather than an external noise being heard though the windows.

“The noise is getting to a point where it cannot be ignored mainly during the night-time when the background noise is reduced.”

He claims that it is not just him who is disturbed by the noise, but that in fact his whole family can hear it.

Phil contacted the council about the noise as it was “becoming more intense” throughout May, and he still awaits a response.

Marilyn Cousins, also from Ladywell, has continued to be bothered by the noise since March.

She described it as a “low frequency hum” which is “really loud and all night”.

Marilyn claims she has installed a sound camera in her home which picked up low frequency sounds but does not know the source.

She added: “It is affecting my mental health and my ears.

“It gives me headaches, yet nobody knows where it’s coming from.

“We contacted UK power, the hospital, the train station and obviously checked out own electrics, but have drawn a blank.

“Similar hums are heard all over the country, but nobody knows what it is.

“It is hard to live in my own home.”

When asked for a statement back in March, a Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “We have not had any other reports of a low frequency hum in Ladywell.

“We don’t have any other info at the moment.”

The News Shopper has contacted them for an updated statement.