Assessment of noise: technical advice note

Appendix 3: Excel Workbooks for use in assessing the noise impact from different types of development.

This Appendix presents two workbooks that enable assessments to be carried out in accordance with the methodology described in this document. Each Excel workbooks enable quantitative noise assessments to be undertaken, but does not include the Stage 3 qualitative aspect of the noise assessment methodology.

The Excel Workbooks have been included to assist in the technical evaluation of noise assessment as part of the planning process. Each workbook illustrates typical examples of the type of noise assessments that are likely to be encountered.

The first, Workbook 1, deals with the assessment of environmental noise impacts associated with developments involving transport noise sources. The workbook is designed so that an assessment can be evaluated where either

• a transport scheme is proposed in the vicinity of an existing noise sensitive development, or
• a noise sensitive development is proposed in the vicinity of an existing transport noise source

The second example, Workbook 2, deals with the assessment of environmental noise impacts associated with the development of industrial noise source(s) in the vicinity of an existing noise sensitive development in a mixed residential area.

Each workbook generally consists of four spreadsheets which are labelled:

• INSTRUCTIONS
• Tables - (this spreadsheet is omitted in Workbook 2, )
• Input Noise Data
• Summary Table

To assist the user, cells within each spreadsheet are colour coded as follows:

	- Unlocked cells for data input
	- Locked cell providing information
	- Locked cell containing formulae

The following sections provide guidance on how each workbook should be used including the input data requirements.

Excel Workbook 1 - Transport Assessment.

Download Excel Workbook 1 - Transport Assessment (6mb)

The 'INSTRUCTION' spreadsheet: This spreadsheet allows the user to define whether the development under assessment is:

• a noise generating development ( NGD) such as where a road is proposed close to a noise sensitive receptor ( NSR), or
• a noise sensitive development ( NSD) where a transport noise source may impact on the development.

This information is required in cell N9.

For NGD, the assessment is based on calculating for each NSR, the change in noise level before and after the NGD is operational.

The magnitude of impacts are defined by the user by inserting values into cells F16, F17 and F18 which define the upper and lower bands of the noise levels associated with each of the defined magnitude of impacts.

For NSD, the assessment is based on calculating the difference between the noise level at each NSR and the threshold noise level as defined by the user which is required in cell N10. The user is also required to input the noise index: scale (cell O10) and time period (cell P10).

The magnitude of impacts are defined by the user in the same way as that described for NGD except that the upper and lower band ranges define exceedance levels above a defined threshold level.

The Tables Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet requires the user to define the building/land use for each NSR and define its sensitivity to noise as being either 'High', 'Medium' or 'Low'.

The Input Data Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet requires the user to

• Column A: input NSR identity number,
• Column B: input the building/land use type as referred to in the Tables spreadsheet,
• Column C: for NGD, input noise levels before NGD is operational. For NSD no input is required,
• Column D: input noise levels after the development is operational.

For NGD, Column E will be blank and Column F will show the difference between the noise levels in Column C and D i.e. the change in noise level, positive values indicating an increase in noise and negative values indicating a decrease in noise.

For NSD, Column E will show the threshold value and Column F will show the difference between noise levels in Column D and E i.e. the relative difference between the noise level after the development and the threshold level, with positive values indicating exceedance levels.

The Summary Table Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet shows the results of the assessment.

The Summary Table shows the number of NSR's, classified by Building/Land use, which fall within each of the Significance of Noise Impact categories shown in Column B.

Excel Workbook 2 - Industrial Assessment.

Download Excel Workbook 2 - Industrial Assessment (7.6mb)

This Workbook deals with assessing the environmental noise impacts associated with the development of an industrial noise source in the vicinity of an existing noise sensitive development in a mixed residential area. The definition of the noise terms follows those described in BS 4142: 1997 Method for rating industrial noise affecting mixed residential and industrial areas. The assessment is based on calculating for each NSR, the change in noise level before and after the industrial development becomes operational.

The 'INSTRUCTION' spreadsheet: This spreadsheet allows the user to define the magnitude of impacts by inserting values into cells F16, F17 and F18 which define the upper and lower bands of the change in noise levels associated with each of the defined magnitude of impacts.

The Input Data Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet requires the user to

• Column A: input NSR identity number,
• Column B: in the building/land use. Note that only "Residential" buildings are assessed, if other land uses are input, these will be ignored for the purposes of noise impacts.
• Column C: input background (L _A90,T) noise level,
• Column D: input rating noise level (L _Ar,Tr) of the specific noise source,
• Column E: input ambient noise level (L _Aeq,T) before development is operational,
• Column F: input ambient noise level (L _Aeq,T) after the development is operational.

Column G shows the sensitivity of the receptor based on the difference between the rated noise level and the background level.

Column H shows the noise change in the ambient noise level after the development is operational.

The Summary Table Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet shows the results of the assessment.

There are two summary tables. The first shows the number of NSR's, classified by Building/Land use i.e. residential properties, which fall within each of the Significance of Impacts categories shown in Column B. The second summarises the number of "Low", "Medium" and "High" impacts based on the criteria set out in Paragraph 3.21, above.