Current parliamentary and policy news

Mary Stevens supports the IOA to bring acoustics to the attention of policy makers and this edition’s parliamentary round up covers plans for reforming the way infrastructure is approved.

During a busy January the Government announced their promised proposals to reform infrastructure planning, reduce underwater noise and set out a proposal for a land use strategy across England, intended to support the building of infrastructure and homes while protecting nature. Comments on any sound, noise and vibration aspects of the proposals are invited from members.

Airports and wind farms included in Government plans to accelerate development
During the last weeks of January the Government made several statements on proposals for changes to the planning process to support their Plan for Change, which is intended to support economic growth by accelerating the building of infrastructure and homes. Working papers on reforming infrastructure planning and a 10 year infrastructure strategy have been published. These are not formal consultations so there is no deadline, but comments are invited. Proposals include overhauling the planning system for major infrastructure projects across England, Wales and Scotland and to ‘streamline’ the approval process for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) in England. These include solar and wind farms, electricity networks, roads and public transport infrastructure and water supplies. Many of these developments are subject to noise impact assessments and impact soundscapes. On more specific development a press release announced ‘unlocking’ 13 major offshore wind projects, unleashing an ‘offshore wind revolution’. The announcement refers to targeted changes to the management of underwater noise that will support nature recovery at scale as part of a proposed strategic, rather than site by site, solution to nature recovery. In a series of statements on the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced proposals for more homes near commuter train stations and support for expansion of Heathrow airport “in line with UK’s legal, environmental and climate obligations.”

The IOA are considering the sound, noise, acoustics and vibration implications of these proposals. We will advocate that these are properly considered for any project in the context of overall Government policy on these issues. Members are reminded that the IOA’s position means we do not take a view about the merits or otherwise of specific projects. Comments from members on the acoustic aspects of the proposals are encouraged – please send asap to mary.stevens@ioa.org.uk

See the working papers here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-infrastructure-strategy-working-paper

Planning Reform Working Paper: Streamlining Infrastructure Planning – GOV.UK

Above: Wind farms are included in Government plans to accelerate development

Offshore wind noise consultation anticipated
The Government has announced that plans to accelerate the development of offshore wind power will be accompanied by measures to reduce underwater noise. In a press release they stated developers will be required to demonstrate they have made clear efforts to reduce underwater noise from pile driving and clearing ordnance from the seabed during installation of offshore turbines. The Government has partnered with The Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Evidence and Change programme and representatives from the explosives and offshore wind industries to test and develop new, quieter technologies for bomb clearance, and pilot proposed noise limits during offshore wind construction. It was also stated that a public consultation on setting a future noise limit for offshore wind construction is anticipated with no timeline for this given.

Read the full announcement: New measures to curb underwater noise and accelerate renewable energy – GOV.UK

England: consultation on land use
As part of ongoing reforms Government have issued a formal consultation on a strategic national approach to land use in England. They say: “The Land Use Framework will provide the principles, advanced data and tools to support decision-making.... This will help deliver the different objectives we have for England’s finite land, including growing food, building 1.5 million homes this parliament, and restoring nature.” Workshops are being held to engage farmers and landowners, and the proposal has been broadly welcomed by conservation groups. The IOA will be responding to the consultation highlighting aspects where acousticians can support land use planning, for example managing impacts of noise pollution from and on any development, and supporting the growth of healthy, vibrant soundscapes. Comments from members are encouraged – please send asap to mary.stevens@ioa.org.uk

The consultation is open until 25 April 2025. Land use in England – GOV.UK

Comments on future of UK aviation consultation
Questions relating to noise have been answered in the Civil Aviation Authority consultation on the future of UK aviation. We have made several suggestions that would facilitate comparison of noise management performance across airports, in terms of how noise efficient an airport is at providing flights with minimal impact. In addition to reporting the number of people exposed to aviation noise in the UK, the IOA would like to see metrics reported to cover the national noise impact, which will be of interest to track progress to achieve DfT aviation noise policy aims and to assist stakeholders affected by noise from individual airports in understanding their noise, how it has changed and how it is being managed. We would also like to see the number of houses insulated to reduce aircraft noise recorded. In addition, the noise performance of as many airports as possible should be reported, given noise impacts are a location specific local issue.

See the IOA full response here https://www.ioa.org.uk/publications/response-consultations

Ireland: EPA consultation on Guidance Note for Noise (NG4)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ireland has consulted on revisions to Guidance Note for Noise (NG4). The draft revision includes updated sections on licence application requirements, including interaction with the provisions of the Environmental Noise Directive agglomerations. It also covers expansion of noise impact assessment using calculation methods and expansion of details required in Environmental Noise Compliance Survey Reports for licensed sites. Also included are updated information and methodologies on measurement of tonal, low frequency and impulsive noise; expanded sections on noise complaints, noise control and mitigation; updates on the assessment of low frequency noise, intermittent noise and other sound characteristics and changes to penalties for noise sensitive locations for both tonal and impulsive noise. The IOA Irish Branch commented on the consultation, which closed 28 February 2025.

See the consultation document here https://tinyurl.com/NG4consultation

Fireworks Bill introduced to Parliament
A private members’ bill introduced by Sarah Owen MP had its second reading in Parliament in January. The Bill seeks to amend the Firework regulations 2004, to include noise definitions for fireworks, defining a low noise category F2 firework as one with a maximum noise level of 90 dB or lower; and a high noise category F2 firework as one with a maximum noise level higher than 90 dB, and restricting the sale of high noise F2 fireworks. This follows on from a Westminster Hall debate on fireworks sale and use last December. The chair of this debate concluded: “A common theme of all Members’ speeches was that we must push the Government for stronger licensing, noise reduction and restrictions on sale, and for more enforcement powers to be given to our police and local authorities so that they can properly enforce the existing legislation and anything that comes down the line.”

See the draft bill here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3791/stages/19048

Wales: Infrastructure Wales Act 2024
The IOA Welsh Branch provided observations and feedback to the Welsh Government consultation on Implementing the Infrastructure Wales Act 2024. Comments cover noise assessments, environmental health involvement, statutory nuisance, and the pre-application consultation stages. It was also stated that there should be a formal requirement for local environmental health teams to provide input during consultations, particularly on noise and related environmental issues.

See the consultation and IOA’s full response here: https://www.ioa.org.uk/publications/response-consultations

Above: The impact of transport noise on the reading ability and behaviour of children is the subject of a new research briefing from the European Environment Agency

New briefing note: acoustic classification of buildings
The IOA have published this new briefing note, making the case for the use of the ISO/TS 19488:2021 framework which defines six acoustic classes for dwellings, ranging from Class A (highest quality) to Class F (lowest quality). This system allows builders to set expectations for acoustic performance and assess the acoustic performance of existing housing, particularly before and after renovations. While building regulations specify minimum acoustic performance requirements for new dwellings, these often fall short in ensuring an adequate living environment and residents still experience high levels of disruptive noise, especially in multi-dwelling buildings. This briefing note highlights the need for a more detailed acoustic classification system that addresses these shortcomings and promotes higher standards of acoustic comfort.

Read the briefing note here: https://www.ioa.org.uk/publications/briefingnote

European Briefing: transport noise impacts on children’s learning
The impact of transport noise on the reading ability and behaviour of children is the subject of a new research briefing from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report is based on data submitted by EEA member countries under the EU’s Environmental Noise Directive (END). Key findings include that children living or attending school in areas impacted by transport noise tend to score lower on reading comprehension and face more behavioural challenges; over half a million children in Europe experience impaired reading ability due to environmental noise from road, rail and air transport and almost 60,000 cases in Europe of behavioural difficulties in children are due to environmental noise generated from transport. The report concludes that impaired reading ability and behavioural difficulties can be largely prevented through interventions to reduce environmental noise at homes and schools. Interventions outlined include considering noise in planning building orientation, landscaping and engineering measures.

Mary Stevens