ProPG: Planning & Noise is out for consultation from 21 January to 31 March 2016 and can be found here.
National Planning Practice Guidance makes it clear that noise is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, and a key aspect of sustainable development. The NPPF states that planning policy and decision takers should ‘aim to avoid noise from giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life as a result of new development’ [NPPF, para. 123]. However, the NPPF provides no guidance on what is or is not acceptable, relying instead on local planning authorities to set their own guidance. In practice this rarely happened, resulting in inconsistent application of policy.
We welcome the recent draft publication of the Professional Practice Guidance document ProPG: Planning and Noise, which provides detailed technical acoustic guidance for residential planning applications. This fills a void in technical planning policy since PPG24: Planning & Noise was replaced by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2012.
ProPG will provide consistent advice and will support decision-makers in the development control process. It has been published by a Working Group consisting of the Association of Noise Consultants, Institute of Acoustics and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, with representatives from planning and local authorities.