Noise and vibration is usually one of the environmental issues that needs to be considered for large scale development proposals. The EIA Regulations require a comprehensive Environmental Statement (ES) to accompany a planning application for developments of significant size, scale or that have the potential to cause significant impact. Noise and vibration needs to be considered at the construction and operational stage. Impacts from the operation of the development including the affect of transportation of goods and people to and from the site.

The Regulations cover developments such as major transportation, industrial, minerals, energy and large residential projects. Some developments may be well defined at the ES stage, but most will be more outline at this stage. There will be a masterplan illustrating  the major components  of the development, but details are unlikely to have been finalised. The important part of dealing with the noise and vibration section of an ES is to provide sufficient information for an informed decision to be made on the developmentmwhilst not having all of the detail that would usually accompany a planning application.

Hepworth Acoustics has a long history of dealing with a wide range of ES for a wide variety of developments. We have adopted a number of measures to ensure that the noise and vibration aspects of a development can be fully taken in to account at the ES stage, when all of the final build detail is not available.

These include:

• Comprehensive noise and vibration surveys of existing ambient noise levels;
• Specifying minimum levels of information necessary to coimplete the noise and vibration section;
• Computer modelling of the proposed development and surrounding areas;
• Agreeing appropriate assessment methodologies;
• Considering the need for mitigation measures;
• Provision of outline specifications for mitigation measures;
• Recommendation of planning controls for noise and vibration;
• Compliance monitoring of the completed development.

We are used to working as part of an ES team and can provide our input to meet the house style required for the Environmental Statement.