Noise Impact Assessments
A Noise Impact Assessment (or NIA or noise survey) is commonly requested as part of any application to develop a site that might make some noise – or in response to a noise complaint. Sometimes the phrase is also used to describe an acoustic survey in support of residential applications, details of which are given under ‘acoustic surveys.’
If the NIA is needed for an industrial or commercial development, the most common standard to use is BS 4142. To give it’s full name, BS4142:2014+A1:2019, ‘Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound’ has existed in various forms for several decades.
The most recent version is a very detailed document and provides an excellent basis for quantifying noise impact, but requires a good deal of experience and expertise to do correctly.
Understanding Your Site
Sometimes, a mitigation scheme is needed to reduce the potential for noise impact as part of an NIA. We believe it is important to understand your site and operation so that any mitigation suggestions are practicable and do not adversely affect the running of your business.
This is actually one of the pleasures of our chosen career – over the years we have learned a lot about a wide variety of industries including paint making, printing presses, flower importing, soil washing, potatoes, mineral extraction and many more.
Environment Agency EA Permits
If you have a site or application that is subject to a permit application, to be issued by the Environment Agency, it is likely to require a noise impact assessment. The EA usually require that an assessment is prepared precisely to the requirements of BS 4142 and even have their own document describing the level of detail that must be provided.
We have extensive experience in providing noise impact assessments for use in EA permit applications or permit variations for many different types of industry, including waste recycling, minerals extraction / quarrying and land restoration.
Complaints and Noise Abatement Notices
If you have received complaints about noise from your site, or the Local Planning Authority have issued a Noise Abatement Notice it can be somewhat concerning, but we can help.
In many cases, the first step is to undertake a noise impact assessment to quantify the extent of any noise problem, then work with you to find practicable solutions.
If there is permission in place for your premises and operation, an important factor is what is practicable. The vast majority of councils will only enforce ‘Best Practicable Means,’ which cannot have material harm on your business.
If you are facing noise complaints, please contact us to discuss the best way forward.
Contact us for Noise Impact Assessments
Please do not hesitate to email us or call to discuss how we can help.
