Description: Digital boundaries of Agglomerations were created as part of the Round 4 strategic noise mapping analysis commissioned by Scottish Ministers to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006, as amended by the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2018. Agglomerations support the development of noise action plans which aim to preserve noise quality where it is good, and protect quiet areas in agglomerations against an increase in noise.The Regulations set out that agglomerations:Must be an urbanised area; andHave a population in excess of 100,000 people, andA population density equal to or greater than 500 people per km2; andInclude public parks and other quiet areas which action plans aim to protect, as appropriate; andIncludes known or possible areas where environmental noise quality is good.The Settlements dataset provided by National Records of Scotland (NRS) forms a basis for the agglomeration definition, as it sets out built-up areas with a population density of greater than 500 inhabitants per km2. OS Open Greenspaces which either intersect or are adjacent to the Settlements area, are included, as they set out public parks and amenity spaces. Undeveloped open spaces within the draft area are considered for inclusion on the basis that they may provide quiet areas or areas where environmental noise quality is good. Additionally, adjacent built-up areas, or those within a short distance, are considered for inclusion on the basis that they may be considered part of the same continuous urban development, despite not currently being within the same Settlement area.
Description: Digital boundaries of Candidate Noise Management Areas were created as part of the Round 4 strategic noise mapping analysis commissioned by Scottish Ministers to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006, as amended by the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2018. Candidate Noise Mapping Areas support the development of noise action plans which aim to preserve noise quality where it is good, and protect quiet areas in agglomerations against an increase in noise.Candidate Noise Management Areas are a subset of Noise Areas where the health effects are highest, determined through a consideration of noise exposure levels and the number of people exposed to noise. The approach to identifying Candidate Noise Management Areas is statistical, covering the entire population encompassed by the noise maps. It is not a precise assessment of harmful effects for specific buildings, nor are the extents of the Candidate Noise Management Areas definitive. They are indicative of areas relatively high concentration of people highly annoyed by noise. The methodology for identifying Candidate Noise Management Areas has been updated in line with the current END methodology, and has been used for Scotland with respect to noise from roads and railways.Local Authorities will prioritise the Candidate Noise Management Areas to determine which will be addressed during the implementation of the Noise Action Plan, designating them as Noise Management Areas.
Description: Digital boundaries of Candidate Quiet Areas were created as part of the Round 4 strategic noise mapping analysis commissioned by Scottish Ministers to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006, as amended by the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2018. Candidate Quiet Areas support the development of noise action plans which aim to preserve noise quality where it is good, and protect quiet areas in agglomerations against an increase in noise.Candidate Quiet Areas are a provisional assignment of Quiet Areas, which are areas where environmental noise levels are deemed to be good and therefore worthy of protection, especially in the context of new development. Candidate Quiet Areas are identified as:public parks and gardens with an area greater than 9 hectares (as rounded to the nearest 1 hectare) and considered to have a higher potential for significant community benefit through designation as a Quiet Area; andcurrently have low levels of environmental noise as indicated by the strategic noise mapping (Absolute Quiet Areas) -OR- have levels of environmental noise which are low in comparison to the levels experienced by those living nearby (Relatively Quiet Areas).Candidate Quiet Areas were identified by first using the OS Open Greenspace product to identify parks and gardens with an area greater than 9 hectares, then evaluated angaist the results of the strategic noise mapping analysis to identify Absolute and Relatively Quiet Areas.Local Authorities will evaluate the identified Candidate Quiet Areas during the implementation of the associated Noise Action Plan to inform an understanding of the benefit of delimiting as a Quiet Area.