Enhancing Noise Management Strategy: Recommendations from the strategy literature.

Graeme Heyes

doi:10.3397/in-2021-1722

Abstract

Airports are required to manage noise impact owing to their requirement to obtain a social license to operate, and to comply with legislation such as the ICAO Balanced Approach and Environmental Noise Directive. Research has however shown that noise management actions and interventions often take a techno-centric approach, are implemented in silos, and that their success beyond noise metrics is rarely evaluated. Moreover, the success of Noise Action Plans in driving long-term noise management outcomes has also been critiqued at a number of levels. In the context of this background, this paper outlines the case for more strategic approaches to noise management and, drawing on the academic strategic literature, outlines approaches to developing such strategies that can be followed by airports. The aim of such approaches is to complement existing noise management guidance by providing step-processes that can aid airports in developing robust, repeatable, evaluable, and successful noise management strategies that are consistent with wider airport strategy and that are sympathetic to the needs of airport residents.

Highlights

There is an increasing body of research, guidance and policy that exists to support the management of airport noise and resulting impacts borne by noise exposed airport communities
Airports are required to manage noise impact owing to a requirement for them to obtain a social license to operate from the public, and to comply with legislation such as the ICAO Balanced Approach and Environmental Noise Directive
The latter requires the development of noise action plans to help direct noise management strategies over long-term periods, their success in this regard has been called into question

Summary

INTRODUCTION

There is an increasing body of research, guidance and policy that exists to support the management of airport noise and resulting impacts borne by noise exposed airport communities. Policy in particular has played an important role in shaping noise management, illustrated for example in the European Union via the ICAO Balanced Approach [1] and Environmental Noise Directive [2] The latter requires that airports of over 50,000 annual aircraft movements conduct comprehensive monitoring of noise, disseminate the results of such monitoring, including via noise contour maps, and to produce noise action plans. 292] suggest is evidence that the Directive is process-orientated ‘in the sense that it is continuous and evolving and regularly takes account of major changes that are likely to affect the soundscape of the area under consideration’ Their specific content is not strictly provided for, their aim is to take noise data, and in the context of wider noise policy (i.e. national legislation and the ICAO Balanced Approach) set out long term plans and commitments to the management and reduction of noise at airports. Stakeholder interviews conducted in the H2020 ANIMA project highlighted that there is a perception that noise action plans are often compiled as a result to a legal requirement to do so, rather than as useful management tool with which to develop effective noise management strategies, whilst those who develop such action plans may often find that their implementation suffers due to a lack of control and hierarchical decision making, which can sit at the national policy level [4]

NOISE AS A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE

PROCESSES AND FRAMEWORKS FOR STRATEGIC NOISE ACTION PLANNING