Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       The Committee is advised that the Environmental Noise Directive (END) and the Environmental Noise Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 place a duty on the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), George Best Belfast City Airport (GBBCA) and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to periodically undertake noise mapping for noise sources within their respective areas of responsibility in order to identify locations where members of the public are predicted to be exposed to excessive noise levels.

 

1.2       Based upon the noise mapping results, competent authorities are required to develop and adopt Noise Action Plans in order to prevent and reduce environmental noise where exposure levels can induce harmful human health effects. The Noise Action Plans also seek to preserve environmental noise quality where it is good.

 

1.3       Accordingly, DfI, GBBCA and DAERA are presently consulting on their draft third round Noise Action Plans for road sources, aircraft noise and industrial noise sources respectively. The plans cover the 5-year period 2019–2024 and are available to download via the following weblinks:

 

·   https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/consultations/environmental-noise-directive-road-noise-action-plan-2018-2023

·   https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/consultations/Round3IndustryNoiseActionPlan

·   http://www.belfastcityairport.com/Community/Environment/Aircraft-Noise/Noise-Action-Plan-2019-2024

 

1.4       This report serves to provide an overview of the draft Noise Action Plans to Committee and to seek the Committee’s assent to provide the attached consultation responses to DfI and GBBCA in respect of their draft Noise Action Plans.

 

1.5       The Committee is advised that the closing date for receipt of consultation responses to the Department for Infrastructure Roads, Environmental Noise Directive Round Three Noise Action Plan 2018-2023 is 16th November 2018, whereas the closing date for receipt of consultation responses to the George Best Belfast City Airport Environmental Noise Directive Round Three - Draft Noise Action Plan 2019-2024 was 26th October 2018. An extension to the submission date has been granted by GBBCA.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       Members are asked to note the contents of this report;

 

·        on draft third round Noise Action Plans for DfI Roads, George Best Belfast City Airport and DAERA industry noise sources.

 

2.2       Members are asked to consider the;

·        draft consultation responses in respect of the DfI Roads and George Best Belfast City Airport Draft Noise Action Plans, attached as Appendices 1 and 2 to this report, and to recommend that these responses be forwarded to DfI Roads and to George Best Belfast City Airport.

 

2.3       Members are advised that the consultation responses will be marked as being in draft format and subject to ratification by Council at its next scheduled meeting of 3rd December 2018.

 

3.0       Main report

 

            Department for Infrastructure Roads - Noise Action Plan 2018- 023.

 

3.1       DfI has advised that 3rd round noise mapping has taken account of all major roads across Northern Ireland with more than 3 million vehicle passages per year and all roads within the Belfast Agglomeration. DfI has further advised that whilst the legislation does not include noise limit values, DfI has been recommended to identify those locations where the top 1% of the population are affected by the highest noise levels.

 

3.2       As a consequence of the roads noise modelling, DfI has identified a series of approximately 19 Candidate Noise Management Areas (CNMAs) across Belfast. Accordingly, CNMAs within the Belfast City Council area include at road locations such as the A12 Westlink, M2 Motorway at Glasgow Street and at the Whitewell Road, Ballygomartin Road, Shore Road, Beersbridge Road, Carrick Hill, Upper Dunmurry Lane, Parkgate Avenue, My Lady’s Road and at Broadway.

 

3.3       For those CNMAs located around the A12 Westlink corridor and the M2 Motorway, it is noted that some of the proposed mitigation measures, such as noise barriers and low noise surfacing, were identified during previous round of noise mapping but have not yet been implemented. These measures have therefore been carried forward into the draft third round Noise Action Plan with a planned revised delivery date of 2023. For other areas of the city, mitigation measures include the introduction of initiatives such as car pools, cycle to work schemes and a greater use of public transport. DfI has also identified that some of the CNMAs could benefit from their proximity to the new Belfast Rapid Transit. All of these softer measures that rely on ‘modal shift’ also have a delivery date of 2023.

 

3.4       It is considered however, that where residential properties have been determined by DfI to be subject to excessive road noise levels, more affirmative mitigation measures should be considered by the Department, as opposed to relying upon the introduction of initiatives such as car pools, cycling to work schemes and encouraging the use of public transport. Furthermore, it is unclear who would be responsible for introducing specific measures such as car pools and cycle to work schemes for the various CNMAs and how their implementation and impact could be monitored in order that road transport noise levels are reduced to acceptable levels by 2023.

 

3.5       Moreover, it is noted that some of the mitigation measures proposed for the A12 Westlink at Little Georges Street form part of the York Street Interchange upgrade and that acoustic barriers and low noise surfacing proposed for the M2 Motorway, adjacent to the Whitewell Road, have been carried over from previous Noise Action Plans. All of these engineering solutions will require significant financial resources to be secured.

 

            George Best Belfast City Airport Draft Noise Action Plan 2019- 024.

 

3.6       GBBCA has advised that the Airport’s strategic noise maps have been based on aircraft movements during the calendar year of 2016. Noise maps have been presented as noise contours for several indicators relating to the average noise level in decibels (dB) over specific periods of time.

 

3.7       In referring to the various noise maps, it is noted that the number of dwellings exposed to more than 50 dB LAeq, 16-hour has reduced from 25,326 in the second round of noise mapping (2011 data) to 15,475 dwellings in the third round of noise mapping (2016 data), with a corresponding drop in population exposure from 51,955 to 34,348. Furthermore, there has also been a reduction in the size of all END indicators in round 3 as compared to round 2, with the exception of the 65 – 69 dB L_night contour band, which does not include any residential or sensitive receptors.

 

3.8       It is also noted that the reduction in the size of the mapped contours and subsequently the reduction in the number of dwellings and population exposed to the higher noise bands appears largely due to a change in the fleet mix at the airport, with a drop in the number of jet aircraft movements and an increase in the number of quieter turbo propeller aircraft. The Dash 8 Q400 is considered to be a relatively quiet aircraft and presently makes up a large proportion of aircraft movements at GBBCA.

 

3.9       GBBCA has highlighted that for round 3 of the noise mapping, the top 1% of the population exposed to the highest noise levels equates to 343 people or approximately 155 dwellings as compared to 520 people and 250 dwellings in round 2. These dwellings are located next to the Sydenham Bypass in the areas of Sydenham and Ballymacarrett.

 

3.10      Accordingly, the Airport, on consideration of the noise reduction measures already in place, including those contained within the 2008 Planning Agreement and the existing voluntary measures detailed in the round 2 noise action plan, the community attitudes survey and the regulatory and policy framework has determined that it is not appropriate to designate any Candidate Noise Management Areas as part of its 3rd round Noise Action Plan.

 

3.11      Government has recognised however, that the onset of annoyance or nuisance can occur in lower noise contour bands and has highlighted that the Environmental Noise Directive does not preclude competent authorities from considering the impact of noise beyond the top 1% of the population affected. On this basis, the Council would recommend that GBBCA should consider actions that might be taken to reduce exposure to aircraft noise in these lower noise level contour bands.

 

3.12      Additionally, the Council notes that there is a reduction in the number of schools and colleges exposed to more than 50 dB LAeq 16-hour and that no hospitals or hospices are exposed to noise at or above this level. Whilst none of these premises qualify for noise insulation, the committee is reminded that GBBCA does support a range of local educational institutions through its Community Fund /Corporate Responsibility Programme.

 

3.13      It is noted that no residential or ‘sensitive premises’ qualify for a Noise Insulation Grant at this time. Whilst the Environmental Noise Directive does not specify what constitutes ‘sensitive premises’, GBBCA has referred to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) guidance for airport operators in England. Accordingly, GBBCA has considered schools, colleges, hospitals and hospices. The Council would recommend however, that residential or nursing homes should also be considered as sensitive premises within the Airport’s noise insulation qualification criteria. In advancing this recommendation, the Council recognises that GBBCA will have to consider the economic costs of any proposed actions and balance them against the likely health improvements that could be achieved.

 

            DAERA Industry Noise Action Plan Round 3.

 

3.14      DAERA has advised that for the 3rd round of noise mapping and action planning, 130 industrial sites were mapped, of which 108 are located within the Belfast agglomeration. Of these, 62 are located within the Port area of Belfast. The noise mapping involves an assessment of the area, the number of dwellings and the number of people exposed to industrial noise.

 

3.15      A comparison between round 2 and 3 results reveals that whilst a slightly greater total area is affected by noise levels greater than 50dB LAeq 16 hour, the number of dwellings and the population affected have reduced to approximately one-third of what they were in round 2.

 

3.16      DAERA has reported that the round 3 noise mapping results are very positive, particularly given that only six individuals and four properties were affected by the top 1% of industrial noise in Round 2. These properties were investigated and found to be non-residential and thus no further action was deemed necessary.

 

3.17      DAERA has additionally reported that based on the round 3 noise mapping results, 246 people within the Belfast agglomeration experience industry noise levels of 50dB LAeq 16-hour or more. 1% of this number is 2.4 people (rounded to 2 people) equating to 2 properties. Analysis of the available data has shown that 7 properties fall within the 60-64 dB LAeq 16-hour range. The two residential buildings with the highest exposure in this range are located near an industrial IPPC site located on the eastern edge of the Belfast Agglomeration, near Knock/Dundonald, outside the Belfast City Council boundary. DAERA has stated that if the modelled noise levels at this location are found to be realistic of ambient conditions, then consideration will be given to noise reduction measures already in place and what further action can be taken before the location is considered for identification as a CNMA.

 

3.18      On this basis, DAERA has advised that noise from Part A PPC installations are controlled by conditions in Part A PPC permits, (including noise management plans where appropriate), which are assessed as part of periodic routine site inspections. DAERA has further advised that noise emissions from Part B and C industrial installations are controlled by District Councils using Statutory Nuisance provisions under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. Where the top 1% of properties are affected by noise from either part B or C processes, the Department will liaise with the relevant District Council to determine whether or not complaints have been received. However, DAERA has stated that noise from Part B and C PPC installations is not thought to be a significant issue within the Belfast Agglomeration, nor a significant contributor to the combined impact from other sources of noise.

 

3.19      Accordingly, it is considered that no consultation response is required in respect of the DAERA Industry Noise Action Plan Round 3.

 

            Financial & Resource Implications

 

3.20      No financial or resource implications have been identified.

 

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

3.21      No Equality, Good Relations or Rural needs implications.”

 

            The Committee endorsed the draft consultation responses, available on the Council’s website here and here in respect of the Department for Infrastructure Roads and George Best Belfast City Airport Environmental Draft Noise Action Plans.  It was noted that, in order to meet the deadlines, the responses would be submitted in draft form which would be subject to ratification by the Council.