Application form
Please make sure you have read all the notes carefully before you start to fill in the application form. This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically - it is available on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning. Please complete all five sections. The deadline for submitting applications is 27 August 2008. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.
1 Please provide a name and contact details of the lead organisation responsible for this work.
Name | SARAH COLLINGS |
Job title | PLANNING OFFICER |
Organisation | DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL |
Address | COUNTY BUILDINGS, HIGH STREET, LINLITHGOW EH49 7EZ |
Telephone | 01506/ 775 - 275 |
Fax | 01506/ 775 - 265 |
Email | sarah.collings@westlothian.gov.uk |
2 If this is a joint application, please list the other partners who had a key role. You should also inform your partners that you are nominating the project for an award.
1 Brian Carmichael, Env Health, WLC | 2 Tony Irving, Dev't Control, WLC |
3 | 4 |
5 | 6 |
3 Tick one nomination category
4 Title of entry | Supplementary Planning Guidance : PLANNING AND NOISE |
Please complete the form on the following pages by providing a brief summary of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude with a key reason as to why you think this work merits an Award. Only the two A4 pages supplied here can be used and your text must fit within the boxes. The font size should be no less than 12pt.
The judging criteria are set out below. Please tick only the key criteria relevant to your entry:
You must describe how the project relates to the criteria which you have ticked.
Description of project
The Supplementary Planning Guidance ( SPG): 'Planning and noise' is a technical document aimed at providing developers with information on the planning process with respect to noise. It highlights the issue of noise where new noise sensitive developments are planned near to existing noise sources and where potentially noisy developments are introduced into existing noise sensitive areas. The SPG is an important policy advancement to support the council's local plan strategy for sustainable development. It is believed to be, if not the first, one of the earliest SPGs on noise in Scotland. |
Describe the background to the project
During the preparation of the local plan it was recognised that to pursue sustainable development and transport as a key element of the plan strategy, against a background of rising noise complaints and transport volume, would require additional planning guidance. After initial meetings with senior managers, a team of three officers was appointed to develop the SPG: 'Planning and noise'. |
What are the aims and objectives of the project?
The main aims of the project were two: i) to provide robust criteria based policy to allow an equitable basis for noise assessment of proposals, and to identify feasibility of mitigation strategies; and
ii) to offer policy relaxation for exceptional circumstances to allow for flatted development whilst achieving acceptable noise standards and supporting higher densities near transport hubs and in urban areas. The benefits of the approach are to reduce urban sprawl and the uptake of greenfield sites and support sustainable transport and development. |
Over what timescale has the project been developed?
SPG: 'Planning and noise' has been developed concurrently with the advancement of the West Lothian local plan and with cognisance of developments in noise regulations, such as noise mapping. The policy was approved at the 3rd June 2008 meeting of the West Lothian Council's Executive. An illustrated leaflet has been produced and is shortly to be distributed and placed on the web. |
Explain the process and action taken
Early on in the development plan process housing sites were identified near the Livingston spine road (A899) which were shown by noise predictive tests to be unacceptable for residential use, and unfeasible for mitigation. A meeting was convened to investigate the matter and a conflict was identified between the aim of the local plan to support sustainable development, through intensification near transport nodes and in urban areas, and rising standards and concerns over noise in the environment. A working group was set up to determine exceptional circumstances cited in the local plan and implement Planning Advice Note 56: 'Planning and Noise' through an SPG and subsequent public consulation. |
Explain the role of the key partners
While admittedly the key partners are internal to WLC, a good working arrangement was created with each partner contributing: - Environmental Health Officer - noise prediction methodology and other technical input, and also a highly regarded specialist in the field of noise
- Development Control Officer - reality check on identifying exceptional circumstances that would support sustainable transport and development
- Development Planning Officer - identified the problem/opportunity and lead the SPG project.
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What results were achieved?
We believe that a robust policy has been developed which achieves the project aims. The explicit link between the application of noise standards and intensification of development to support sustainable transport and reduce other undesirable consequences for land use is an innovation for local plan guidance in Scotland. The policy has allowed a test case for flatted development near a busy main road and traffic junction, which officers believed should be supported, to be granted planning permission through the exceptional circumstances clause detailed in the SPG: 'Noise and planning'. |
In summary, why does this piece of work merit an Award?
To achieve higher levels of sustainable development through supporting density in urban areas and at tranport nodes, noise considerations will necessarily play an increasingly important role in development planning and management. It also raises the importance of the open window scenario as an essential part of the noise prediction methodology when considering the residential enviornment. We believe that it is one of the earliest SPGs in Scotland on Noise, and is possibly a prototype. For the key criteria identified for this project - professional knowledge, innovative, sustainable development - we believe that this entry demonstrates outstanding policy work in the development plans category. |
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