The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

38 Mayor of London
The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy
World Health Organization 4 are widely used in noise policy. These
incorporate, for various situations, threshold noise levels below which
adverse health effect would not be expected. Health in this context
includes wellbeing. Potential adverse effects have already been referred to
(see Chapter 2).
3.25 Health may be affected by sleep disturbance, stress, and in other indirect
ways. However, there is less conclusive evidence for these indirect health
effects of noise than, for example, in the case of air pollutants such as
fine particles. This is not to discount the potential for such effects, or to
argue against a precautionary approach. However, it is necessary to
acknowledge that it is particularly difficult to set health-related thresholds
for noise below the level of clinical damage.
3.26 Public health policies are generally derived from observations of effects on
‘average’ populations. Participants in studies, typically adults from the
general population, may have been selected because of their easy
availability. Vulnerable groups can be under-represented, including the very
old or young, people with particular illnesses, disabled people, people with
learning difficulties, or mental health service users. Many such groups may
be more affected by noise than an ‘average’ population. The impact of
higher density living on noise and health needs to be considered.
Sustainable Development
3.27 Sustainable development may be defined as: ‘Development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.’ The UK Government’s sustainable development
strategy 19 saw a need to meet four objectives at the same time - social
progress which meets the needs of everyone; effective protection of the
environment; prudent use of natural resources; and maintenance of high
and stable levels of economic growth and employment. The Mayor’s duty is
to have regard to ‘the achievement of sustainable development in the
United Kingdom.’ 20 In improving noise environments in London, the Mayor
cannot be indifferent to implications for the rest of the country. The Mayor
set up a London Sustainable Development Commission in May 2002 to
advise him on sustainability issues. In June 2003, the Mayor launched the
Commission’s London Sustainable Development Framework. The Framework
provides the Commission’s vision for a sustainable London and sets out
thirteen high level objectives for delivering this vision. It provides the
context for the development of strategic policy in London enabling
planning, transport, social inclusion, economic development and
environmental policies all to move in the right direction towards a more
sustainable future. In June 2003, the Commission undertook a sustainability
appraisal of the Draft London Ambient Noise Strategy, using the London