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July 2017 headlines

Planning guide finally launched

A guide has been launched that aims to cut noise nuisance in new homes.
Three bodies have joined together to produce the ‘ProPG’ guide that sets out how good acoustical design can reduce noise impacts for residents – and make it easier to obtain planning in areas where noise is not likely to be a problem. It fills the vacuum left by the withdrawal of PPG24.

MUGA Sports ground noise impacts discussed

Sport pitch noise was discussed at last month’s ANC’s annual conference. There are increasing numbers of urban sports facilities causing noise problems.

Stansted expansion branded premature

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) has condemned Stansted Airport following the airport’s formal notification of its intention to submit a planning application later this year to seek permission to grow to an annual throughput of 44.5 million passengers and 285,000 flights. This compares to last year’s throughput of 24 million passengers and 180,000 flights.

Gloria’s gong

Gloria Elliott, chief executive of the Noise Abatement Society, has been awarded an OBE for services to awareness of and solutions to pollution from noise in the Queens Birthday Honours.

Green space

The London Assembly has released a report on green spaces. No mentions at all are made of noise, quiet or tranquillity.
l Park life: ensuring green spaces remain a hit with Londoners www.london.gov.uk

‘Golden thread’ challenged

The presumption in favour of sustainable development that has quashed so many noise concerns has been overturned.

ANC reveals award winners

The Association of Noise Consultants announced winners of its annual acoustics awards last month.
Winners in the environmental noise category were Apex Acoustics, Southdowns and Aecom.

Planning shake up?

It appears that the English planning system is ripe for another review.
A high powered task force has been set up under the auspices of the TCPA under former planning minister Nick Raynsford.

M40 action

A £5 million plan to cut traffic noise for many people living along an 11.5 mile section of the M40 in Buckinghamshire and South Oxfordshire is being planned.

Sealed windows heat risk

A high level panel of acousticians is investigating how to balance the need to keep noise down within a building yet still open windows.

Barking gets order

Barking and Dagenham is the latest borough to use public space orders to ban boy racers.

Scottish planning

Reform of the Scottish planning system has moved forward with the publication of the Scottish Government’s position paper on its preferred way forward for revamping the system.

Levy wobble

Late night levies appear to have stalled with fewer than expected councils adopting them.

Scots mull aviation tax cuts

Environmental groups and MPs are questioning the environmental side effects of Scotland’s desire to slash aviation tax.

Hyena aviation follow-up affirms effect

A follow up to the important Hyena study a decade ago has confirmed significant health effects due to aviation noise.

Noise covered in infrastructure assessment

Noise is covered in a National Infrastructure Commission assessment of the environment. The commission must put together a National Infrastructure Assessment during each Parliament.

Repel the repeal

Environmental lawyers have set up a taskforce in a bid to retain laws protecting the environment post-Brexit.
Richard Macrory, professor of environmental law at University College London, is leading group which aims to plug any potential legal gaps

Fertility impact

High noise can affect fertility, researchers believe.

Bournemouth ban

A student house in Bournemouth has been banned from having visitors in advance of an eviction hearing.

Airbnb leads to likely nuisance headache

Lis Stedman finds worrying early signs that the explosion in short letting such as Airbnb is storing up future noise nuisance issues

Welsh combine noise and air maps

Wales continues to join up noise and air responsibilities – this should reduce the risk of noise being left behind in the current media focus on air pollution