Background
Anderson Acoustics was commissioned in March 2022 by J.D Richmond & Son Ltd to undertake a noise impact assessment to discharge Condition 3 of the planning permission (ref: DC/17/1166) by Horsham District Council for the “Proposed erection of a machinery/hay store, a building to incorporate a dairy parlour and milk processing facilities, associated hardstanding areas and access track” at Top Paddock Farm, Kerves Lane, Horsham RH13 6RJ.
What we did
To discharge the condition, an assessment of the acoustic impact arising from all operations associated with the proposed use was required, including any internally or externally located plant, in accordance with BS 4142: 2014 Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound.
The proposed use includes 2 milking machines operational for one hour between 07:00 and 08:00. We took baseline sound level measurements of a milking machine hired for the purposes of the assessment, situated within an existing building with similar acoustic attributes to the proposed dairy parlour.
Our assessment concluded that the equivalent sound level for two machines in the vicinity of the nearest residential premises to be below the background sound level and below the standard (lower) threshold for residential amenity and therefore noise would not be audible.
As the development is also in keeping with the historical and wider use of the land, we considered that the proposed operation of the dairy parlour would, in the terms adopted by national policy, result in No Observed Effect.
We advised that no specific measures were required and concluded that operating the dairy parlour as proposed would be in keeping with national and local policy, including Policy 24 and Policy 33 of the Horsham Planning Framework (2015) and as such the scheme could be approved.
Testimonial
“Clear explanation of the data was provided which was key to our understanding as when viewing the readings it was quite complex. It was interesting to see the time periods when noise was transmitted by the operation” John Richmond, Director
Project Progress
Planning approval was granted in May 2024
