The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy Mayor of London 107
policy 23
The Mayor will urge boroughs to consider including, in their Unitary
Development Plans, proposals to enhance the noise screening provided by
development alongside railways, having regard to benefits for the wider
area. Noise reduction in the wider neighbourhood should be taken into
account as a benefit by local planning authorities in assessing design in
applications for development alongside or over suitable railways. Decked
or bridging development is most likely to be acceptable where railways are
below adjacent ground levels.
Building insulation
4B.20 Current Noise Insulation Regulations for railways are based on the
principle that noise from existing facilities is already known to local
residents, and reflected in property values. New railways may not have
been expected by existing property owners, who may be eligible for
compensation (see Appendix A7). As with roads, the regulations do not
apply where the use of existing lines is intensified. However, investment
in better track and trains should mean that, in many cases, the noise
generated by each train will be lower. The preparation of a National
Ambient Noise Strategy 5 provides the Government with the information
and the opportunity for a review. Issues include whether the historic
‘noise threshold’ and package of measures in the Noise Insulation
Regulations are still relevant. A more flexible hierarchy of measures might
be appropriate, (see Appendix A7), although administrative costs need
consideration.
4B.21 The thermal insulation benefits obtainable from secondary glazing, or
replacement double glazing, should be taken into account, and linkages
made, as far as possible, with fuel poverty work. As with roads, the
insulation package specified in the railway noise regulations provides only
for sound insulation to habitable rooms (bedrooms, living rooms, and
kitchens also used for dining). This does not reflect modern ‘whole house
living’ lifestyles. Any new regulations should consider insulation
specifications closer to those in the Building Regulations which are then
in force, including taking account of other noise sources where necessary
(see Appendix A7).
policy 24
The Mayor will urge the Government to use the National Ambient Noise
Strategy process to review relevant provisions of the Land Compensation Act
1973 and Noise Insulation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems)
Regulations 1996 (amended 1998), making appropriate financial grant
provision to accompany any change. Consideration should be given to a
flexible hierarchy of measures for cost-effective protection of a wider range
of properties. Work should, wherever possible, be integrated across different
noise sources, and with fuel poverty and climate change-related measures.