Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and Noise

Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and noise.
This legislation came into existence in 1994 and it is the primary guidance in England for planning issues involving noise. It gives local authorities in England guidance on the use of their planning powers to minimise the adverse impact of noise. The local authorities are required to take its content into account in preparing their development plans. The PPG24 introduces the concept of Noise Exposure Categories, NECs, for the assessment of new dwellings in existing noisy areas. Therefore, the PPG24 classifies the new development across of a series of 4 categories depending of the noise level on site. The guidance go from NEC category A, where noise need not be considered as a determining factor in granting planning permission, to NEC category D where planning permission should normally be refused. When assessing a proposal for a residential development near a source noise, local planning authorities should determine into which of the four noise exposure categories the proposed site falls. In some cases local planning authorities may be able to justify a range of NECs of up to 3 dBA above or below those recommended. The table below details the Noise Exposure Catagories.
NEC
A	Noise need not be considered as a determining factor in granting planning permission, although the noise level at the high end of the category should not be regarded as a desirable level.
B	Noise should be taken into account when determining planning applications and, where appropriate, conditions imposed to ensure an adequate level of protection against noise.
C	Planning permission should not normally be granted. Where it is considered that permission should be given, for example because there are no alternative quieter sites available, conditions should be imposed to ensure a commensurate level of protection against noise.
D	Planning permission should normally be refused.
Table 1. Noise Exposure Categories for dwellings.
The values in the table 2 refer to noise levels measured on an open site at the position of the proposed dwellings, well away from any existing buildings, and 1.2m to 1.5m above the ground.
07.00-23.00	55	55-63	63-72	72
23.00-07.00	45	45-57	57-66	66
Rail Traffic
07.00-23.00	55	55-66	66-74	74
23.00-07.00	45	45-59	59-66	66
Air Traffic
07.00-23.00	57	57-66	66-72	72
23.00-07.00	48	48-57	57-66	66
Mixed Sources
07.00-23.00	55	55-63	63-72	72
23.00-07.00	45	45-57	57-66	66
Table 2. Recommended Noise Exposure Categories for New Dwellings Near Existing Noise Sources.
The PPG24 in its Annex 3 gives a detailed guidance on the assessment of noise from road traffic. For established roads it will normally be sufficient to base assessments on the measured level show in Table 2. At the same time it advises that when considering potential new development near major new or recently improved roads, local planning authorities should ascertain forecast noise levels. The traffic noise impact predictions will be done in accordance with "Calculation of Road Traffic Noise" (Department for Transport (DOT) and Welsh Office, 1988).
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Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and noise.

NEC