NO 'CLEAR BLUE WATER' WITH MODERN NOISE LEVELS:

A contrasting book in the Shaw & Sons local authority series is Christopher Penn’s ‘Noise Control’ in its third edition. A timely piece as the New Labour Government unwraps its latest in a long line of criminal justice bills just off the Queen’s Speech printer. To me this is a great book and compulsory reading for any would-be planning objector: how often is it that local planning committees have to defer applications because of a lack of proper evidence on noise levels from objectors? Very often unfortunately, and with the extension of licensing powers given to elected councillors the matter will incur greater interest as not just entertainment licences but our elected council tax spenders will now be considering liquor licence applications (instead of magistrates) in the near future.

‘Noise Control’ by Penn is clearly the foremost publication on the law and practice of noise on the environment and human health. As an Environmental Health Officer, he will have heard the difficult messages from the public but he does not turn a deaf ear to them, fortunately. His new chapter on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (I.P.P.C.) is particularly welcome at this time. Whilst the confrontation on aircraft noise continues to hum away in the background like a bad vibration, chapter 8 should be required reading to MPs and members of HACAN Clear Skies and its sometimes grubby successors who parade their views strongly with other pressure groups.

It’s my experience that elected members, nationally and locally, often have considerably insufficient knowledge of noise issues and if Chris Penn does anything, he wakes us up from our slumbers on this most serious of residential issues. Penn gives chapter 9 over to the increasing relevance and importance of the planning process which is so often misunderstood by the protesting public. Do look at the end of the book (page 459) for the ‘Forms and Records Relating to Noise Control’ which Shaw & Sons publish – they will be of great use to those dealing with summary proceedings concerning noise. ( )