Address:Land at West Kingsford (North of the A944 Road)

Planning Reference: 170021/DPP

Address:Land at West Kingsford (north of the A944 Road),

Aberdeen AB15 8QR

Description:Proposed Community and Sports Facilities, Football Academy, (comprising outdoor pitches, pavilion, ancillary buildings), Stadium (20,000 capacity), ancillary uses, formation of access roads, parking and associated landscaping and engineering works

Environmental Health have reviewed the above application and associated environmental statement dated 11 January 2017 relating to noise and air quality and have the following observations:

Noise and Vibration

The impact of noise has been assessed with respect to the nearest noise sensitive receptors that are located on the perimeter of the proposed development.

The ES details the impact from construction noise and vibration and operation noise. The magnitude of impact has been assessed with reference to PAN 1/2011.

Construction Noise and Vibration

Due to insufficient details being available on the proposed construction a detailed noise and vibration is not possible at this stage. Should the development be approved the appointed contractors will be required to submit a noise and vibration management plan in accordance with BS5228-1:2009 to be provided and approved by Environmental Health prior to works commencing.

Operation Noise

The ES identifies several operational noise sources that have varying magnitudes of impact on the surrounding noise sensitive receptors depending on the noise level, location and time of occurrence.

The assessment assumes 26 football matches to be played at the stadium over a year. 18 matches to be played on Saturday afternoons and 8 matches on weekday evenings.

Road Traffic Noise

Existing and predicted future road traffic noise levels are made against:

• 2016 baseline (existing)
• 2023 baseline (includes AWPR)
• 2023 baseline (plus development traffic)

The greatest magnitude of impact is major adverse impact at receptor 4 and major adverse impact at receptor 2 and 3 during weekday evening matches during a 1 hour peak period. The ES indicates that noise mitigation is not feasible due to property location in relation to the roads. It is acknowledged that the level of impact occurring during weekday evening matches is likely to be infrequent.

Noise egress – within Stadium

The main noise source will be from crowd and PA system noise. It is acknowledged that predicting the impact is difficult due to the sporadic and variable nature of these noise sources.

Noise from the stadium during an evening weekday match has been assessed as a major adverse impact to the nearest house (receptor 2). Based on the information provided the impact of Saturday afternoon matches may have up to a moderate adverse impact on receptor 2.

Impact will be limited to the number of matches held each year.

Building Service Noise

Details of services have yet to be confirmed. All building services specified not to exceed Noise Rating curve 25 in the nearest dwellings (windows open).

Patron/fan noise outside the stadium

Receptor 2 is identified as the nearest house to any noise from patron/fan noise outside of the stadium with a minor adverse impact in the evening. Fast food units have also been identified as possible noise sources. To mitigate noise from such units it is advise that they are not located within 150 meters of the nearest residential property. Appropriate acoustic screens to be provided, that will have the same effect in reducing noise levels, if units are located closer than this distance.

Deliveries

It has been identified that there may be a moderate adverse impact to properties to the south of the development from “large” delivery vehicles. To minimize impact it is advised that deliveries are restricted to the hours between 0700hrs and 1900hrs. “Large” delivery vehicles to use the south west entrance to increase the distance to the noise sensitive receptors.

Car Parking Noise

No noise impact from car parking activities identified.

Training Pitches Noise

A Moderate adverse impact has been identified at the nearest property to the training pitches (receptor 3), in the evenings.

To mitigate against the impact it is advised that the times that the pitches nearest to the residential property are restricted by condition so that the pitches are not used beyond 2100hrs.

No information has been provided on the use of any screening between the residential property and the pitches to mitigate noise. Details on the viability of this option are required.

Air Quality

Air quality in the vicinity of the proposed development is currently good. Annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particles (PM10) are well below the national air quality objectives of 40ugm-3 and 18ugm-3 respectively. Dispersion air quality monitoring was undertaken to predict the impact of the development in 2023, the proposed year of opening, and taking account of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and other committed developments.

Without Development 2023 Dispersion Modelling Scenario

Modelling predicted an increase in NO2 from the 2015 baseline background level without the development in 2023 due to the increase in traffic flow associated with the AWPR and other permitted developments in the area. The maximum predicted NO2 increase was 5ugm-3 at residential property to the east of the proposed development and north of the A944. The predicted 2023 annual mean concentration of 32ugm-3 is still well below the objective.

Modelled PM10 concentrations were similarly predicted to increase from the 2015 background level due to the increased traffic associated with the AWPR and other committed developments. The maximum increase in PM10 was 0.9ugm-3 at residential property to the west of the main entrance to the development and north of the A944. The predicted annual mean concentration of 15.7ugm-3 is still below the objective.

With Development 2023 Dispersion Modelling Scenario

Significant increased traffic associated with the development will be limited to match days. Only relatively a relatively minor increase will be experienced on on-match days and will predominately occur out with peak periods. The air quality assessment predicted annual mean NO2 levels will increase by a maximum of 0.14ugm-3 at modelled receptor locations and PM10 concentrations by a maximum of 0.2ugm-3. The impact of the development on annual mean NO2 and PM10 concentrations at all receptors was considered negligible. As the predicted 2023 background levels are well below the air quality objectives, the assessment also predicted a negligible risk of exceedance of the short term 1-hour NO2 objective or 24-hour PM10 objective.

Air Quality Conclusions

As the assessment concluded the impact from development traffic on air quality will be negligible and pollution concentrations will continue to meet national and EU air quality objectives, the Environmental Health Service has no objection to the proposed development. However, should planning permission be granted, I would recommend that traffic management conditions are included to reduce the impact of traffic associated with the development on air quality, for example through the use of the nearby park and ride, additional public and private bus services, measures to reduce car dependency and promote active travel.

There may be an impact of dust emissions to air during the construction phase. Should the proposals be granted it is advised that the principal contractor provides a dust risk assessment and dust mitigation plan to be agreed with Environmental Health prior to the commencement of works.

Lighting

All external lighting to be installed shall be sufficiently screened and aligned so as to ensure that there is no direct illumination of neighbouring land and that light spillage beyond the boundaries of the site is minimised.

Nick Glover

Principal Environmental Health Officer