- Failure to conduct a real time baseline noise level and establish a true baseline
The baseline level for the noise impact assessment was unable to be completed due to Covid restrictions. Instead, a desktop study was completed and figures taken from historic studies. I believe that a noise impact assessment must be completed as standard prior to the scheme being considered. Although the authors of the report state that this was a robust approach as ‘background noise levels generally increase over time’, they fail to take into account the changes in travel and therefore the reduction in noise resulting from the pandemic – this is due to the increase in working from home and its effects on traffic within the area. This means that the baseline figure for the area is likely to be different than expected based on historical records. The difference between the baseline noise figure and the expected noise resulting from the construction and the operation of the new development may well fall into the ‘adverse’ or ‘significant adverse’ category.
Furthermore, it is clear that, following development, the pitches will be holding more sports games and matches, therefore increasing spectators and this will subsequently increase noise levels.
On this basis the proposal is unacceptable and should be refused.