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This Month's headlines

March 2020 Issue 140 headlines

When is a rug is not a carpet?

Laminate flooring has prompted a convoluted legal challenge between a landlord and lessees.

Noise complaints rise

Noise complaints have risen by 9% according to the latest CIEH noise survey. Statistics were last updated three years ago and the rise comes despite a severe reduction in noise officers due to austerity.

Heathrow loses legal challenge

The planned expansion of Heathrow has stalled following a court warning.

Crawley wins sealed appeal

A developer has lost an appeal against flats refused by Crawley council due to noise from a nearby nightclub. Crawley has a track record of considering noise in its planning policies.

Sealed windows also sink Glasgow flats

Plans to squeeze in 53 flats near a cement works in Bishopbriggs near Glasgow has been rejected at appeal.

Pumps and fans considered by IoA

The Institute of Acoustics has asked Government to consider internal noise limits in the Future Home Standards currently under consultation.

225,000 wind claim

Three residents have reportedly received £225,000 damages in an out of court settlement for the impacts of living near a noisy wind farm in Ireland.

No party here

Liverpool City Council has refused a party house due to excess noise.

Iphone enhancement criticised

A prosecution has succeeded based on Iphone recordings of barking from a kennels. The kennel owner was ordered to pay £3,000 compensation and £93,000 in legal bills.

Little progress despite directive provisions

The European Environment Agency has updated its huge summary noise report and noted that despite decades of European noise policy, exposure remains high.

Irish wind row

Consultants have further slammed the Irish Government for what it sees as poorly worded wind turbine policy.

Wind backtrack

An effective ban for onshore wind turbines in England has been reversed.

Iccan updates noise attitudes

The Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN) is taking up research from central government in a bid to see if attitudes to aviation noise have changed. Noise attitude research used to be carried out by the DfT.

TAN11 to include air and soundscape

Welsh TAN11 technical noise planning guidance is to be updated to include air quality and soundscapes.

Access traffic doesn’t sink development

A 95-dwelling development has been approved at appeal. The decision is yet another showing that planning inspectors cannot decide whether traffic accessing new developments beside quiet dwellings is important.

HMO Article 4s

Local authorities are increasingly applying for blanket Article 4 directions to require landlords to apply for planning permission if they wish to split houses into houses of multiple occupation.

Health impacts

Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have identified a potential mechanism through which long-term exposure to noise leads to inflammation, blood vessel damage, and heart disease.

Aviation research push by ICCAN

Plans are being developed for a new survey to gather definitive evidence about current attitudes to aviation noise and address perceived shortcomings in previous work. Lisa Russell reports.

New-kid-on-the-block iccan appears ready to ruffle feathers

The Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise is a body created to act as an impartial voice on the topic and how it affects communities. Early concerns that it might be a poodle appear to have been unfounded as it tackles tough issues.