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UK environmental noise

June 2018 Issue 123  headlines

Green light for Heathrow

The Cabinet has given the go ahead for a third runway at Heathrow.

Costs blooper?

Government has corrected detailed cost calculations released under a previous freedom of information request on noise from an expanded Heathrow.

NPS finalised

The final Airports National Policy Statement has been released.

ICCAN cannot

Proposals for an independent aviation noise regulator (ICCAN) appear to have stalled.

IoA warns on acoustic prisons

The IoA has warned against allowing developers to build “acoustic prisons” anywhere

London park noise mapped

CPRE London has surveyed noise in London parks. Sutton has the quietest parks while Enfield has the noisiest.

Overheating conditions contradictory

A review of planning conditions used in large London developments has revealed that many noise and ventilation conditions can be contradictory and self defeating.

German turbine laws tightened

Germany is tightening noise guidelines for wind turbines and many will now need to be shut down at night. The tightening suggests that Germany is grappling similar issues to the UK ie that guidelines are struggling to cope with noise from modern ultra-large turbines.

Aberdeen turbine nuisance success

A Scottish turbine has been found to be a nuisance (Noise Bulletin March p1).

Cornwall seizure

A CD player, amplifiers and stereos were removed by Cornwall Council’s Community Protection Team following an investigation into loud rock music regularly being played into the early hours of the morning at an address in Princes Square.

Fracking dilutes local input

New rules on fracking are planned that may reduce local powers on noise and other safeguards.

Aviation noise proves very annoying

In the month that Heathrow has got another go ahead, German researchers believe aviation noise is annoying.

Preston chimes

An ice cream code that was nearly abolished has proved useful for Preston in avoiding Ombudsman censure.

Post-Brexit governance spat

Environment secretary Michael Gove has set out his vision for an environmental watchdog mechanism post-Brexit.

Generator noise assessment tool released

Consultant TNEI has developed a noise feasibility tool for proposed generating plant, which allows a level of project risk to be quickly and easily identified early on in the site selection / site design process.

Good and bad for North Tyneside

Banging weights from a neighbouring gym caused a nuisance for a householder who complained to the Ombudsman that North Tyneside Council failed to abate the nuisance.

Notice breach

A Farnborough resident was found guilty of two offences of causing a noise nuisance by breaching a noise abatement notice when she appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court in a successful prosecution brought by Rushmo

Tranquillity creeps into planning

Last month attempts were made at a planning inquiry to suggest that a noisy, low grade former colliery was in fact a tranquil area worthy of protection. The attempt went all the way to the Secretary of State who endorsed the planning inspector’s refusal but dismissed tranquillity arguments as untried. The arguments put forward are worth airing as they are likely to crop up with increasing frequency as soundscapes and tranquillity gain traction.

Mapping despite EU doubt

An insight into current progress with noise mapping was given by Nigel Jones of Extrium at the recent Cardiff IoA meeting, Lis Stedman reports.