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There is an ever-increasing conflict between the need for planning development and its impact on others. The County Council acts as the planning authority for county school developments, major highway developments, mineral extraction and waste disposal and recycling operations in Somerset. The County Planning department has to carefully consider the balance between need and impact and consults the Acoustics section whenever noise or vibration is likely to be an issue with developments. The Acoustics section will investigate complaints of noise and vibration associated with County Planning responsibilities and provides advice on reducing the nuisance to local people and assists with planning enforcement when necessary.
The Acoustics section uses a wide range of modern measuring equipment and offers advice based on a detailed knowledge of standards, legislation and government guidance. Quality is maintained through equipment calibration regimes detailed in a quality manual that follow the advice of national standards and are closely linked to the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) concept.
The Acoustics section provides a quality assured monitoring, consultation and advice service to the County Council in the following areas:
Measurement and prediction of levels of noise from industrial, commercial or other activities. The Acoustics section uses a wide range of environmental noise analysers for long-term monitoring and has narrow band and FFT frequency analysers for more detailed measurements. We offer advice on the setting of planning conditions and undertake surveys to assist with ISO 14001 monitoring requirements.
Measurement and prediction of levels of ground vibration from blasting at quarries or from sources such as traffic. The Acoustics section uses a two channel tri-axial geophone seismograph with a long-term monitoring capability. Advice is given to achieve compliance with planning condition limits. Structural vibration assessment can be undertaken with a uni-axial accelerometer connected to a frequency analyser.
Noise at Work Regulations 1989. The County Council has a responsibility as an employer to ensure that employees are not exposed to noise that could harm their hearing. The Acoustics section undertakes noise assessments at County Council workplaces where noise is identified as a risk. Workplace noise assessments are undertaken using personal dosimetry and detailed measurement. Reports detail the noise exposure risks to employees and where appropriate provide advice on noise engineering solutions and hearing protection.
Building Acoustic assessments. In schools, preferred building acoustics are now specified in Acoustic Design of Schools BB93. The Acoustics section can investigate situations where speech recognition needs to be improved in teaching areas or where noise breakthrough from adjacent rooms is occurring. Assessments are undertaken with a sound source and twin channel noise analyser. Measured noise insulation and reverberation characteristics of rooms can be derived and compared with BB93 criteria and advice given on solving acoustic problems.
Enforcement action by the County Council relating to existing planning permissions may require detailed noise measurement and investigation of nuisance noise.
Expert Witness appearance is provided in planning and enforcement situations, where detailed measurement and interpretation evidence is presented at Public Inquiries and Appeal Hearings.
Specialist advice and training is available to all County Council departments and County Councillors. For more information on acoustics, contact us (see right).
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