Background
We were appointed as an external specialist consultant to review the Noise Assessment report and Kitchen Odour Risk Assessment report associated with this application and appeal, and to provide a Statement of Case for the London Borough of Hillingdon. The application was for the installation of rooftop plant equipment to serve the ground floor restaurant unit. As part of our review, we gave due consideration of the reports in relation to the Council’s related concerns and national and local noise policy, and relevant British Standards and good practice guidance. We then prepared a Statement of Case documenting the review and the Council’s position to be sent to the applicant justifying the reason for the planning application being refused.
The Challenge
In addition to concerns regarding a visual impact, the Council considered that the applicant had not demonstrated that the design of the rooftop plant equipment to serve the ground floor restaurant unit would satisfactorily mitigate noise and odour emissions such that it would not be harmful to the neighbours’ residential amenity.
The Solution
Our review of the noise assessment report found that the baseline sound level survey undertaken was for a period less than 24 hours. We considered this duration, which meant that only a single night was represented, and where a weekend period hadn’t been accounted for, was not sufficiently robust.
We also concluded that the applicant’s Noise Assessment and Odour Risk Assessment identified the potential for at least significant adverse observed effect from the operation of the rooftop plant. The odour mitigation measures were not proposed, or not fully implemented, in the Appeal Statement mitigation proposals, and so we advised the reason for refusal remain until the design demonstrated the odour control measures proposed in the Odour Risk Assessment to be fully included and in line with EMAQ+ guidance.
Likewise, the required noise mitigation was yet to be demonstrated or implemented, and required updating to reflect the odour mitigation. Accordingly, we recommended the Noise Assessment to be updated, together with a more robust survey of the baseline and operational sound levels.
If planning permission was to be granted, we advised that planning conditions on matters of noise and odour would need to be put in place to ensure the development would not have significant adverse effect.
