Local Requirements - Noise Assessment

Types of application or development that require this information

• New noise or vibration sensitive uses such as residential developments, residential institutions, hospitals, medical and educational establishments, adjacent to major sources of noise such as roads, railways, industrial and commercial (including existing entertainment venues)
• Proposals for public houses, nightclubs, places of workshop, day nurseries, sports halls, industrial developments using noisy machinery, indoor and outdoor sports provision, wind turbines, drinking establishments and nightclubs and other uses that generate high levels of noise or vibration

What information is required?

A Noise Impact Assessment prepared by a suitably qualified acoustician should support applications that raise issues of disturbance or are considered to be noise sensitive developments.

The Noise Assessment should outline the potential sources of noise generation, how these may have a negative effect on local amenity and environmental receptors particularly on sites in close proximity to nationally and internationally designated sites.

The assessment should also outline how the developer intends to overcome these issues including details of sound insulation measures to be provided.

Proposals for control of construction site noise must follow the requirements of BS 5228.

For planned dwellings in the vicinity of existing commercial or industrial buildings the developer must provide evidence that any future occupiers of the proposed dwellings will not be disturbed by environmental nuisances such as noise, vibration, dust, odours, fumes and/or lighting emanating from these existing premises. 

For proposed commercial/industrial buildings, close to existing noise sensitive properties the applicant must submit a noise impact assessment report employing BS 4142 methodology or other method agreed with Environmental Health.

For developments likely to be affected by noise associated with the strategic road network, please contact Highways England for details of its noise assessment requirements.

Environmental receptors should be identified as a feature that requires consideration in a noise assessment, particularly industrial developments in close proximity to nationally and internationally designated sites.

Further information

• BS 5228 – noise and vibration control on construction and open sites.
• BS 4142 - development is likely to generate noise
• BS8233 - to be undertaken to ensure that appropriate internal and external noise levels can be achieved to guarantee the amenity of the future occupants. 

Policy driver

• National Planning Policy Framework - Chapter 15: Conserving and enhancing the natural environment
• National Planning Practice Guidance: Noise
• Core Strategy - Policy EN8: Environmental Protection