The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

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The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy Mayor of London 33 some debate on what constitutes a limit value, or what the consequences of exceeding it might be. The Government has not yet indicated what limit values would be reported for the UK. It will be important for noise management to consider, not just benchmarks or absolute levels, but the nature of the change expected from a proposed action (see Appendix A2, Assessing Changes). The particular qualities of local soundscape context are also likely to influence people’s perceptions. 3.7 The NSCA’s National Noise Committee has stated 2 : ‘A noise strategy cannot be built on the development of absolute standards or objectives as this would ignore some of the quintessential aspects of noise as a pollutant. The variation in the subjective reactions to noise, the difficulty in quantifying quality of life and the valuing of amenity and its loss all act against the setting of blanket standards. Simple application everywhere of health-based thresholds, as has been done for air quality, will not suffice, because of the need to cope with annoyance and quality of life considerations.’ Box 13: Planning Policy Guidance Planning Policy Guidance Notes on a range of issues set out Government policies which local authorities must take into account in preparing development plans, and which may be material to decisions on planning applications and appeals. Planning Policy Guidance Note 24 (PPG24) ‘Planning and Noise’, DoE, 1994, gives guidance to local authorities in England on the use of their planning powers to minimise the adverse impact of noise, including through defining Noise Exposure Categories (see Appendix A5). The Government announced, in its plans for reform of the planning system, 3 that it intended to review existing national policy guidance over the next three years. This included replacing existing planning policy guidance notes (PPGs) with national planning policy statements (PPSs), aimed at being more concise, clearer and better focused on implementation of policy objectives. 3.8 Guidelines produced under the auspices of the World Health Organisation 4 give a context for moving towards the Mayor’s vision. The Guidelines can be seen as aspirational targets based on the precautionary principle. However, any large city with a long history is likely to have many situations exceeding the WHO guideline values. London does not yet have accurate estimates of the numbers of people exposed to different levels of ambient noise, identifying the sources responsible, and the costs of reducing noise to particular levels, or by particular amounts, in differing soundscape contexts. Section 41(5)(c) of the GLA Act requires the Mayor to have regard to the resources available for implementation of
34 Mayor of London The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy the Strategy. Until such information is available, and the necessary budgets and legislative powers can be defined, it is not possible to set overall timescales for achieving particular targets. Preparation of a National Ambient Noise Strategy will need to address these issues. It would be wrong to pre-empt it. 5 Linkages and cross-cutting themes 3.9 In preparing or revising the London Ambient Noise Strategy, the Mayor must have regard to the principle purposes of the Authority, the effect it will have on the health of the people of London, and the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom. The principal purposes of the Authority are to promote economic development and wealth creation; promote social development; and promote the improvement of the environment in Greater London. In preparation of the Strategy, due regard must be paid to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people. Equalities 3.10 Depending on income, gender, age, ethnicity and disability, different groups tend to occupy and use spaces in different ways, and be exposed to different levels and types of noise. This can contribute to inequalities in health. For example, older people, those who are unemployed, disabled or long-term sick and those (usually women) caring for young children may spend longer at home than most of those in paid work. Housing occupied by lower income groups may be more likely to be exposed to high external noise levels, and to have poorer internal noise insulation. Older parts of London tend to have a higher density of roads and railways. Lower income Londoners, including certain black and minority ethnic communities, tend to be more highly concentrated in many of London’s older districts. Many main roads are lined by older buildings and blocks of flats. Many of these may be occupied by groups more prone to social exclusion, while higher value houses may be set back in larger gardens. Many noisier economic activities were traditionally located in more deprived areas. 3.11 However, there are also parts of the city, such as inner west London, with high residential and traffic densities, where all social groups may be exposed to high noise levels. The location of Heathrow on the generally wealthier western side of London cuts across the capital’s historic pattern of disadvantage. Aircraft noise affects areas such as Richmond, where incomes tend to be higher, as well as Hounslow, where groups with lower incomes and significant minority ethnic representation may be found. 3.12 A more affluent long term resident may be more familiar with local administrative systems, and be more likely to register a noise or other
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