Tyne and Wear
Acoustic consultants in Newcastle.
One of the densest late-night economies in the country, directly beneath a great deal of city-centre housing.
The local picture
What we deal with in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Newcastle's city centre puts residential development immediately above and beside a very concentrated night-time economy. Entertainment noise is frequently the controlling source rather than road traffic, and it behaves differently: music breakout is dominated by low frequencies that pass through construction far more readily than the broadband sound a road produces, and patron noise on the street peaks exactly when bedrooms are occupied.
That makes the agent-of-change principle a live consideration on most city-centre schemes. Where new residential arrives beside an established venue, the assessment has to demonstrate that the scheme protects itself rather than expecting the venue to change.
The city has a large student population and a correspondingly large purpose-built accommodation stock, and the Tyne quaysides on both banks have been extensively converted. Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council determine applications on their respective sides of the river.
Typical instructions
Work that comes up here.
Taken from the job book rather than a service list. If yours is not on it, it is still likely to be routine. Send the wording and we will say so.
- Entertainment noise assessment for venues, and for residential proposed near them
- City-centre and quayside residential noise assessments
- Student accommodation schemes: external assessment and internal sound insulation
- Sound insulation testing for conversions
- Plant noise assessments for commercial premises
Local detail
We read your checklist before we price it.
Validation requirements vary between authorities and between applications. We read the one for yours before quoting, so the scope matches what is being asked for rather than what is usually asked for.
- Determined byNewcastle City Council and Gateshead Council
- CountyTyne and Wear
- Getting to siteAround two and a half hours from Manchester; unattended deployment.
- InstrumentationClass 1, calibrated and certificated
- Fee basisFixed, agreed before we start
- Report turnaroundFive working days from survey
Travel is our problem, not yours. Most surveys use unattended monitoring, so the distance to site affects our costs rather than your programme, and the fee is fixed either way.
What you can instruct
Services available in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Noise Surveys
Baseline and environmental monitoring, attended or unattended.
Learn moreNoise Impact Assessments
BS 4142, BS 8233 and ProPG assessments that planning officers accept.
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Plant Noise
ASHPs, chillers, kitchen extract and refrigeration, assessed against background.
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Road, Rail & Aircraft Noise
Development affected by traffic, trains or flight paths. Facade levels, glazing specifications and the ventilation that has to come with them.
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Renewables & Data Centres
Battery storage, solar, wind and data centres. Continuous, tonal plant, usually proposed somewhere very quiet.
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EIA Noise & Vibration Chapters
Noise and vibration chapters for Environmental Statements, written to survive the scrutiny an EIA scheme attracts.
Learn moreNot sure which standard applies to your condition? The MCS 020, BS 5228, Approved Document E references explain what each one asks for, or send us the letter and we will tell you.
Questions
Newcastle upon Tyne: common questions.
What is the agent of change principle?
The idea, now reflected in national planning policy, that whoever introduces the change carries the responsibility for managing its consequences. New housing next to an existing venue has to protect itself acoustically, rather than the venue being required to restrict what it already lawfully does.
Why is music noise assessed differently?
Because it is dominated by low frequencies, which pass through walls and floors far more easily than mid and high frequency sound, and because the character of music makes it noticeable at levels where broadband noise would not be. Assessing it with a single overall figure understates it.
Working on something in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Send a postcode and a sentence. We're ready to price it right now.