6. The main purpose of the amendments is to address the problems of noise in dwellings and other rooms used for residential purposes as illustrated in the following paragraphs.
Large numbers of complaints about domestic noise
7. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) reports that the number of complaints about domestic noise has now reached over 5,000 per million population, and that the total number of such complaints trebled in the 10 years between 1986 and 1996. The 1996 English House Condition Survey (EHCS) indicates that 4.7 million (nearly one-quarter) of householders were bothered by noise either from traffic, industry or neighbours. Specifically, 0.67 million householders were bothered by noise from neighbours which they attributed either to poor design of the building or a combination of poor design and behaviour of the neighbours. Further details on the extent of reported problems are given in Section 5.2.
Current sound insulation standards originate in the 1950s
8. Current standards of sound insulation in dwellings can be traced back to surveys carried out in the 1950s which indicated that 225mm thick solid brick walls and solid concrete floors provided reasonable standards of sound insulation at that time. Values derived from the performance of these constructions were used as the basis for selecting constructions for inclusion on a deemed-to-satisfy list that accompanied the 1965 Regulations, and with some refinements, in Approved Document E in 1985 and 1992.
Improvements in living standards
9. Since the 1950s, there have been considerable improvements in living standards. One of the consequences of this is an increased use of home entertainment systems (with increased power output at low frequencies) and other domestic electrical appliances, and also an increase in the amount of noise that people are likely to make at home. Further, the trend towards home working, reduced contact with neighbours and rising expectations has meant that people are less tolerant of noise disturbance. The focus of the media on noise and neighbour disputes has also heightened public awareness of the problem.
Poor compliance and low satisfaction with existing sound insulation standards
10. Studies by BRE, which are referred to later, indicate that the operation of the current Building Regulations and guidance in Approved Document E does not always achieve satisfactory standards of sound insulation in practice. One study indicates that about 25% of occupants living in dwellings that attained the current standards for sound insulation rated the insulation as poor or very poor. A second study by BRE looked at complaints about sound insulation between dwellings that had been approved under current Building Regulations and found a poor level of compliance with current (implicit) standards in the cases investigated. Field tests of sound insulation between new dwellings, undertaken by BRE on behalf of DETR (now OPDM) also show that there is a wide range of performance for some constructions included in the current guidance and that examples of non-compliance with the current standards are continuing to occur. BRE estimate that, in new dwellings, as many as 40% of new separating floors and up to 25% of new separating walls may fail to meet the current standards. This clearly illustrates that there are problems with the operation of the current system that relies on a combination of plan checking and site visits for enforcement.
Adverse effects of noise
11. Noise, at the sort of levels typically encountered in dwellings, can lead to a wide range of adverse health effects including loss of sleep, stress and high blood pressure. Quantifying the risks attributable to exposure to environmental noise and, particularly, neighbour noise is difficult but it is suggested that there are between one and ten deaths per year in the UK (these being suicides or as a result of assaults) attributed to noise from neighbours. The number of less severe problems attributed to noise (such as stress, migraines, etc.) is estimated to be about 10,000 per year. The same problems are experienced by people living in rooms for residential purposes (i.e. students in halls of residence, elderly people in residential homes etc.) although there are no equivalent figures for health risks. Further discussion of the health risks is given in Section 5.3.
12 As set out in PPG313 - Housing, current government housing policy is that 'new housing and residential environments should be well designed and should make a significant contribution to promoting urban renaissance and improving the quality of life'. Further, local planning authorities should 'give priority to re-using previously developed land within urban areas, bringing empty homes back into use and converting existing buildings'. They should 'provide for more intensive housing development in and around existing centres and close to public transport routes' and 'identify and bring back into use empty housing, vacant commercial buildings and upper floors above shops'. The effects of noise on the occupants of dwellings has also been recognised in the DETR (now ODPM) Housing Health and Safety Rating System which has been proposed as a future replacement for the current Housing Fitness Standard.
13. These housing policy initiatives have to be considered alongside a background of rising complaints about noise by building occupants - both noise from neighbours and noise from external environmental sources like road traffic and aviation. A consequence of PPG3 and the targets for housing development is that housing densities are likely to increase, and there could be a proportionate increase in the number of flats and attached houses all of which places a premium on achieving a reasonable standard of sound insulation. Further, the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection is currently campaigning for a National Noise Strategy to include amongst other things 'improved enforceable standards of sound insulation in both new and existing buildings'.
14. The amendments have an overall objective of securing reasonable standards of health, safety and welfare for persons in or about buildings in respect of resistance to the passage of sound, without imposing disproportionate bureaucracy and costs on builders, materials producers, building owners or building control bodies.
15. The key objectives are to improve standards of sound insulation and to significantly improve compliance with the Regulations so that reasonable sound insulation is achieved before the home is occupied. These objectives are achieved by the introduction of a sound insulation testing regime and through improving the usefulness of current guidance to designers and builders by clarifying the text in the Approved Document and identifying changes in standards and practice.
13 DETR, Planning Policy Guidance Note No.3: Housing, March 2000
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