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National Planning Policy Framework & Noise Policy Statement for England
This entry was posted on July 25, 2012, in Zone for Members and tagged acoustic design,national planning policy, noise, noise policy statement, ppg24. Bookmark the permalink.
Acoustic Design for Development post PPG24
Introduction
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) came into force in March 2012 and represents the government’s commitment to sustainable development, through its intention to make the planning system more streamlined, localised and less restrictive. It aims to do this by reducing regulatory burdens and by placing sustainability at the heart of development process.
With regard to acoustic design and noise control, the NPPF provides a set of overarching aims, broadly reflecting those already contained in the Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE). They are directed towards the avoidance of significant adverse impacts and reduction of other adverse impacts on health and quality of life; set within the context of the Government’s policy on sustainable development.
Now that the NPPF has been introduced previous Planning Policy Guidance on Noise (PPG24) has been withdrawn; creating a gap between policy aims and any technical guidance available by which the realisation of those aims can be achieved.
There is an emphasis within the new framework on local planning authorities to create local policy and guidance which reflects both the NPPF and the NPSE, whilst at the same time reflecting the needs and priorities of their communities.
The National Planning Policy Framework
The introduction to the National Planning Policy Framework states:
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Governments planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied, only to the extent that it is relevant, proportionate and necessary to do so. It provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and priorities of their communities.
Under the heading of Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment, noise aims are detailed at s.123, which states that:
Planning policies and decisions should aim to: * avoid noise from giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life as a result of new development; * mitigate and reduce to a minimum other adverse impacts on health and quality of life arising from noise from new development, including through the use of conditions; * recognise that development will often create some noise and existing businesses wanting to develop in continuance of their business should not have unreasonable restrictions put on them because of changes in nearby land uses since they were established; and * identify and protect areas of tranquillity which have remained relatively undisturbed by noise and are prized for their recreational and amenity value for this reason.
Further NPPF aims related to noise include:
Clause 109
The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by:preventing both new and existing development from contributing to or being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of soil, air, water or noise pollution or land instability;
Clause 111
Planning policies and decisions should encourage the effective use of land by re-using land that has been previously developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value. To prevent unacceptable risks from pollution