Need for protection and monitoring once identified

Having once identified a Quiet Area (by whatever criteria), it is essential that robust policies are put in place to monitor and protect the quietness of the area. In many respects this is a more critical issue than the criteria by which QAs are chosen since however sophisticated the selection process, nothing is gained if the area cannot be protected. Indeed, the choice of selection criteria should in part be determined by practicality of monitoring and action to ensure the area remains quiet according to the chosen criteria.

The simplest form of monitoring would be to use predictions based on the END noise mapping methods to assess the impact of any potential changes. However, it is apparent from the range of criteria chosen by the various authorities in Table 4 , that Lden maps would not always be adequate or relevant for assessing impacts against the chosen criteria. This should be borne in mind when choosing criteria. The process as a whole should be considered from the outset – i.e. select/monitor/protect.

From this point of view, simpler selection criteria that are more easily monitored and are directly compatible with normal planning processes may have much to recommend them. Where it is considered that more complex criteria are necessary, consideration should be given to how the required monitoring of compliance will be resourced and how well the criteria fit with the standard planning processes and regulations to enable the QA to be easily protected.