Noise and soundscape action plan 2018-2023 © Crown copyright 2018 WG36311 Digital ISBN: 978 1 78964 365 7 Mae’r ddogfen yma hefyd ar gael yn Gymraeg / This document is also available in Welsh. Table of Contents Ministerial Foreword ................................................................................................... 1 Preface – the noise action planning process .............................................................. 2 Environmental noise legislation.................................................................................................. 2 Environmental noise maps.......................................................................................................... 2 A noise and soundscape action plan for Wales ...................................................................... 4 Related public consultations held in the last five years .......................................................... 6 Review and update process ....................................................................................................... 6 1 Why noise and soundscape matter ...................................................................... 9 1.1 Health and well-being ...................................................................................................... 9 1.2 The national well-being goals ....................................................................................... 10 1.3 The role of Public Health Wales ................................................................................... 13 2 Ways of working ................................................................................................ 14 2.1 The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 ........................................ 14 2.2 Dos and don’ts ................................................................................................................ 15 3 Integrating noise and air quality policy ............................................................... 16 3.1 Review of local air quality and noise management in Wales .................................. 16 3.2 What the policy guidance says about noise ............................................................... 16 3.3 What the policy guidance says about green infrastructure ...................................... 17 3.4 What the policy guidance says about annual air quality progress reports ............ 18 3.5 What the policy guidance says about local air quality action plans ........................ 19 3.6 Clean Air Zones .............................................................................................................. 19 4 Planning for new development .......................................................................... 21 4.1 A focus on placemaking ................................................................................................ 21 4.2 What the new planning policy says about air quality and soundscape .................. 22 4.3 Making the ‘agent of change’ principle explicit .......................................................... 23 4.4 Acoustic design ............................................................................................................... 24 4.5 Acoustic insulation, energy efficiency and overheating ............................................ 26 5 Tranquil green space in the built environment ................................................... 29 5.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 29 5.2 The sustainable management of natural resources .................................................. 30 5.3 What the Natural Resources Policy says about green space ................................. 30 5.4 Welsh Government environment grant funding ......................................................... 31 5.5 The role of Natural Resources Wales ......................................................................... 32 5.6 Celebrating tranquil urban green space ...................................................................... 34 5.7 Protecting tranquil urban green space ........................................................................ 36 6 Road traffic noise in Wales ................................................................................ 39 6.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 39 6.2 Who is responsible? ....................................................................................................... 40 6.3 What the noise maps tell us .......................................................................................... 41 6.4 Priority areas and proximity areas ............................................................................... 44 6.5 Noise mitigation works on the motorway and trunk road network .......................... 44 6.6 Supporting quieter vehicle technologies ..................................................................... 46 6.7 Supporting active travel ................................................................................................. 47 6.8 The role of the police ..................................................................................................... 48 7 Railway noise in Wales ...................................................................................... 49 7.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 50 7.2 Who is responsible? ....................................................................................................... 51 7.3 What the noise maps tell us .......................................................................................... 51 7.4 Priority areas ................................................................................................................... 53 7.5 Electrification ................................................................................................................... 54 7.6 Services provided by the rail industry ......................................................................... 54 8 Industrial noise in Wales .................................................................................... 55 8.1 Mapping noise from major industry in agglomerations ............................................. 55 8.2 Integrated pollution prevention and control ................................................................ 56 8.3 The All Wales Environmental Permitting Regulations Link Group.......................... 58 8.4 Statutory nuisance.......................................................................................................... 59 9 Other forms of noise .......................................................................................... 60 9.1 Neighbourhood noise ..................................................................................................... 60 9.2 Military noise ................................................................................................................... 62 9.3 Occupational noise and hearing damage ................................................................... 65 9.4 Recreational noise and hearing damage .................................................................... 66 10 The Cardiff and Penarth agglomeration ............................................................. 68 10.1 What the noise maps tell us .......................................................................................... 68 10.2 Quiet areas ...................................................................................................................... 70 10.3 Cardiff Council ................................................................................................................ 71 10.4 The Vale of Glamorgan Council ................................................................................... 75 10.5 Bridgend County Borough Council .............................................................................. 79 10.6 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council ...................................................................... 85 10.7 Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council........................................................... 87 11 The Newport agglomeration .............................................................................. 90 11.1 What the noise maps tell us .......................................................................................... 90 11.2 Quiet areas ...................................................................................................................... 92 11.3 Newport City Council ..................................................................................................... 93 11.4 Caerphilly County Borough Council ............................................................................ 96 12 The Swansea and Neath Port Talbot agglomeration ....................................... 100 12.1 What the noise maps tell us ........................................................................................ 100 12.2 Quiet areas .................................................................................................................... 102 12.3 Swansea Council .......................................................................................................... 103 12.4 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council ............................................................