State Planning Policy 5.4 Noise and Freight Considerations

in Land Use Planning

Evan Jones and Kareena May

August 2014

Presentation Content

1. SPP 5.4 and Guidelines Background

2. SPP 5.4 Workshop Feedback

3. Key Issues

4. Freight Rail SPP 5.4 Proposals

1. SPP 5.4 Background and PurposeRoad and Rail Transport Noise and Freight Considerations in Land Use Planning

The policy objectives are to—• protect people from unreasonable levels of transport noise by establishing a

standardised set of criteria to be used in the assessment of proposals;• protect major transport corridors and freight operations from incompatible

urban encroachment;• encourage best-practice design and construction standards for new

development proposals and new or redeveloped transport infrastructure proposals;

• facilitate the development and operation of an efficient freight network; and• facilitate the strategic co-location of freight handling facilities.

1. SPP 5.4 Background and PurposeRoad and Rail Transport Noise and Freight Considerations in Land Use Planning

The policy scope is for—• a proposed new noise-sensitive development in the vicinity of an existing or

future major road, rail or freight handling facility;• a proposed new major road or rail infrastructure project; a proposed major

redevelopment; and a proposed new freight handling facility.

Noise sensitive development as per EPA Noise Regulations and includes:• Residential premises• Caravan park or camping ground• Hospital• Education • Aged care

1. SPP 5.4 Implementation Guidelines (under review)

Does the policy apply to my proposal?

Policy section 5.1

What noise criteria apply? Policy section 5.3

How do I estimate the outdoor noise level?

Guidelines section 3.1

How do I ensure a detailed assessment?

Guidelines section 3.2

What noise management measures are available?

Guidelines section 4

2. Workshop

• Vital to the economy of Perth as it ‘future proofs’ essential freight infrastructure.

• The principal mechanism to protect freight corridors from encroachment and incompatible land uses.

SPP 5.4

Importance of SPP 5.4? 85%

2. WorkshopEffectiveness of SPP 5.4? 49%

Awareness of SPP 5.4? 54%

Ease of Use of SPP 5.4? 54%

• SPP 5.4 is effective from a strategic perspective, but difficult to implement through the statutory planning system.

• Difficulties in ensuring compatibility with other State Planning Policies.

• The policy is complex and not clearly understood by stakeholders.

• The policy has a presumption of avoiding conflict but has mostly been used to manage conflict – is it protecting new housing or freight and logistics?

• There is patchy implementation across local governments – a lot of which is attitudinal.

• Low level of awareness by mum and dad developers and larger developers find ways to ‘work around’ the policy

• Very difficult to read and understand with the ‘guts’ of policy too hidden. Also, guidelines need to be easier to use.

2. Infrastructure Corridors Issues Paper

THEME 1: Protection of corridors from encroachment

SPP 5.4: There is a lack of clear policy guidance for developers in respect to separation distances, buffers and treatments. There is also a highly inconsistent approach to the determination and implementation of buffers.

Key issue 1: Essential infrastructure corridors not adequately protected from sensitive land uses which threaten the State’s economy and may impact on the community.

Key issue 2: Urban consolidation and increased densities necessitate the review of amenity and safety policies.

ACTION: Investigate potential mechanisms to better protect essential infrastructure corridors from new adjoining sensitive land uses and visa versa.

Proposed Strategic and Major Freight Routes

3. Key IssuesPerth Regional Freight Network:Noise control vs. protection of freight network?

3. Key IssuesRegional Road Protection

Protection of Perth-Darwin Highway planned as per SPP 5.4 at:

Sub-regional scale

District Scale

Local Scale

and included as conditions of subdivision and development

1984 2014

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Urban Interface

20 metres

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Urban Interface

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Typical Train Passby Plot - North Coogee 25m from Railway

Time

SPL,

dB(A

)

Source: Strategic comparison of transportation noise policies, DoT, Lloyd George Acoustics

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Noise

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Typical Train Passby Plot - North Coogee 25m from Railway: Leq,95secs = 68 dB

Time

SPL,

dB(A

)

Lmax = 77 dB

Leq = 68 dB

Source: Strategic comparison of transportation noise policies, DoT, Lloyd George Acoustics

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Noise

22:00:5722:30:5523:00:5323:30:51 0:00:49 0:30:47 1:00:45 1:30:43 2:00:41 2:30:39 3:00:37 3:30:35 4:00:33 4:30:31 5:00:29 5:30:2730

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4 Train Passby Events Per Night: Leq,Night = 49 dB(A)

Time

SPL,

dB(A

)

Source: Strategic comparison of transportation noise policies, DoT, Lloyd George Acoustics

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Noise

22:00:5722:30:5523:00:5323:30:51 0:00:49 0:30:47 1:00:45 1:30:43 2:00:41 2:30:39 3:00:37 3:30:35 4:00:33 4:30:31 5:00:29 5:30:2730

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8 Train Passby Events Per Night: Leq,Night = 52 dB(A)

Time

SPL,

dB(A

)

Source: Strategic comparison of transportation noise policies, DoT, Lloyd George Acoustics

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Noise

Freight Rail Class example Movements 10metres

20metres

30metres

40metres

50metres

100metres

200metres

300metres

(LAeq,Night)10 Typical mix S or Q, P and D, AB, DA etc. of L class locomotives, and numbers of wagons varying from 45 to 90. Notch settings 5-8.

1 per hour (minimum) 65 61 59 58 57 53 49 46

2 per hour 68 64 62 61 60 56 52 49

3. Key IssuesFreight Rail: Noise – Guideline Proposals

Detailed noise assessment+Confirm implementation+Title notification

No further measures are required

Deemed to comply

+Title notification

Distance from rail line centre

3. Proposals3.1 Identify Freight Rail Lines

Include a 50 -100 metre area along all freight rail routes to help ‘trigger’ SPP 5.4 requirements

3. Proposals3.2 Freight Rail: Reduce Complexity of ‘Deemed to Comply’ Solutions

Draft Implementation Guidelines State Planning Policy 5.4

vs. Victorian guidelines example

Single house development comprises 80% of all new dwellings each year.

3. Proposals3.3 Freight Rail: Ensuring application of SPP 5.4 to Single Dwellings

Source: ABS 8731.0 - Building Approvals, Australia, May 2014

• Whilst the policy refers to applies to single dwellings, it acknowledges that most single dwellings are exempt from planning approval.

• There is no clear ‘trigger’ for the policy to be applied at building licence.

• Given the forecast increase freight rail task, particular at night it is a concern that single dwellings be protected from noise.

• Ensuring that all new single dwellings are subject to the policy would ensure that all new noise sensitive development within close proximity to freight rail lines includes noise mitigation measures.

3. Proposals3.4. Freight Rail: Consider implications of proposed noise criteria

Consideration should be given to maximum noise at increased frequency (Lmax) in place the current average criteria of the passby level (Leq) against:

• the effect of increasing rail freight at night SPP 5.4

• potential extra construction costs to houses and apartments (and if too high)

• The need to include a presumption against noise sensitive development in noise-affected land along part or all freight rail corridors

3. Proposals3.5. Freight Rail: Vibration

• Vibration is not specifically addressed in the SPP 5.4.

• The draft revised Implementation Guidelines include mention of ground-borne vibration as most commonly associated with rail transport, and at close distances can lead to loss of amenity in noise sensitive areas.

• It is understood that further consideration is being given as to agency responsibilities and how a resolution could emerge to be suitable for inclusion in land use instruments and policies.