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STOP! ALLIANCE BRIEFING on NOISE www.stopmegasheds.co.uk Date:21-11-08Noise from On-Site OperationsThis is of potential concern to residents around the periphery of the airfield, to office workers at DLO and to people staying in the existing and planned DLO accommodation. The noise will result from HGV movements on/off the site and in/out of loading bays, parking areas etc. and also from loading operations. As a result of scrutiny of Goodman's succession of noise reports, and of the continual revelation of significant calculational errors, Goodman has been compelled to offer ever more in the way of bunding and noise barriers. Even with all these measures in place, TVBC's noise consultant considered that the night noise levels likely to be experienced by residents of Red Post Lane 'would be expected to provoke complaints' but overall considered the proposals 'just acceptable'. However · in-shed noise sources have not been considered · this grudging acceptability is predicated on the forecast traffic movements being controlled and on broad-band reversing bleepers being fitted to all vehicles. No mechanism for controlling the night-time HGV flows has yet been proposed and we doubt (1) if it is feasible for all suppliers' vehicles to be fitted with broadband bleepers and (2) if it is legal for vehicles to operate with their bleepers switched off. The only way of ensuring acceptable night noise levels is to prohibit night-time working. Noise experienced by surrounding properties is mostly a question of amenity, but there must also be an economic aspect: If DLO staff find MEGAshed operations, or the resulting traffic, too disruptive and disturbing then there would be a temptation for MoD to eventually withdraw from Andover and sell its site. Off-Site Traffic NoiseThe biggest noise impact will be felt by residents living close to the 100-Acre junction, and by Andover residents living within earshot of the A303, particularly the very large number living alongside the two mile stretch of the A303 between the 100-Acre roundabout and the Winchester Road A303 junction. The most significant effects will be felt during the middle of the night when the existing light HGV traffic flows around the 100-Acre roundabout and along the A303 will be vastly boosted by HGV traffic from the MEGAshed. Expert evidence has been presented to TVBC that · The noise impact for residents close to the 100-Acre roundabout has not been properly assessed by Goodman and may be considerable. · Night noise levels elsewhere along this stretch of the A303 already exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. · The WHO guidelines are based on the real and growing recognition of the physiological and psychological hazards of night noise. It must be questioned whether it is right to exacerbate these health hazards by significantly adding to the night noise levels. In addition to the hundreds of households where the night noise levels are already above WHO guidelines, there will be a further swathe of houses where the night noise levels are currently below the WHO limit but would then exceed it should this development go ahead. Beyond these houses there are hundreds, if not thousands, of houses where residents find that the early-morning noise from the A303 is intrusive in certain weather conditions and it threatens to become more so because of this development. Proposed Noise BarriersGoodman are presenting their noise barrier proposals as if they will be the answer to everyone’s concerns about A303 noise. They are not. The proposed barriers are interspersed by long gaps and, moreover, they have a diminishing effect as one moves away from the A303. Barriers can also be of no assistance where houses, and communities, are unfavourably situated relative to the undulations in this stretch of the A303. Expert analysis has shown that the barriers will only bring perceptible benefit to a relatively small number of people living very close to the A303. For anyone else within earshot of the A303, Goodman's Business Park development proposals will still bring increased noise levels, particularly at night. The only way of ensuring no unacceptable increase in night noise is to prohibit night-time working. If you wish to see a copy of the detailed noise report submitted to TVBC Planning, with the support of F J Fahy, Emeritus Professor of Engineering Acoustics, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton.please email info@stopmegasheds.co.uk STOP! ALLIANCE November 2008
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