Background

Anderson Acoustics was commissioned by Fairview New Homes in October 2023, on behalf of applicant Anglia Secure Homes (South East) Limited, to provide planning stage noise, vibration and air quality assessments for this development at Chobham Farm, 150 Leyton Road, Stratford, E15 1DT.

The project involves transforming a former industrial yard into a vibrant mixed-use development comprising 106 residential units and 196 m² of commercial space, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmental compliance.

What we did

Acoustics site feasibility study

As part of the Robin process, we undertook an acoustics site feasibility study and provided outline acoustic advice so Fairview could understand the noise and vibration constraints of the site and account for indicative construction costs of the scheme.

The survey results informed the initial recommendations and technical specifications required for the site to be suitable for residential use.

BS 8233:2014 Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings was the most relevant Standard in terms of noise and the scope of our assessment.

Planning noise and vibration assessment

As the site is subject to noise from nearby road, rail and commercial sources, a noise impact assessment was deemed necessary to confirm the extent of mitigation measures that may be required to provide a policy compliant scheme.

Our assessment followed the ProPG Stage guidance covering good acoustics design, internal ambient noise levels, noise levels in external amenity areas and overheating and ventilation considerations.

The ProPG was jointly developed by the Institute of Acoustics (IOA), the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) to guide Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) and Practitioners in assessing the suitability for residential development on sites predominantly exposed to airborne transport noise.

We reviewed the current design proposals confirming that:-

the external building fabric proposals will be sufficient to control external noise ingress to habitable spaces if the recommended glazing and ventilation systems are installed
alternative ventilation measures would be required for some apartments to control overheating
recommended plant noise limits would protect the residents of the development and those living near to it against future plant noise emissions

The outcome of our assessment demonstrated that the proposed external building fabric design will ensure internal ambient noise levels are compliant with the criteria in ProPG and Approved Document O. Our recommendation was to “Grant consent with suitable noise conditions”.

Air Quality Assessment

Our assessment accomplished the following:

Evaluate baseline air quality conditions to establish site suitability
Assess the impact of the proposed development on local air quality
Determine the site’s suitability for residential and commercial use
Ensure compliance with national and local air quality policies
Develop a dust risk management plan
Demonstrate compliance with air quality neutral and positive planning policies

Development Impact

The development is considered “car-free” with only four blue badge electric vehicle charging bays
Heating and hot water will be supplied via an off-site District Heat Network using air source heat pumps (ASHP), eliminating on-site combustion emissions
The impact on local air quality is classified as “negligible,” with no significant increase in pollutant concentrations

Dust Risk Assessment

The site was assessed as:

Medium risk for dust soiling during demolition, earthworks, construction, and trackout prior to mitigation
Low to negligible risk for human health impacts

A robust mitigation strategy was proposed, including: