Areas we serve
Planning-ready noise surveys, noise impact assessments and acoustic reports for developers, architects and homeowners across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Every project is run from our Southampton base by an MIOA acoustic consultant, with each report framed around the planning policy and Environmental Health expectations of the council deciding your application.
MIOA acoustic consultant · Class 1 instrumentation · Fixed-fee quotes · Site visits typically within 3–5 working days
At a glance
Base
Southampton, Hampshire
Coverage
England, Wales, Scotland, NI
Site visits
Typically 3–5 working days
Quotes
Fixed fee, reply in 24–48 hours
4 nations
Each assessed against its own planning policy
MIOA
Full Member of the Institute of Acoustics
Class 1
Sound level meters on every survey
Fixed fee
Clear quotes before any work starts
Choose your region below for local planning guidance, or send us your site address and we'll confirm what your council is likely to need.
Regional coverage
Each regional page explains how local councils assess noise, the sources that shape sites in that area, and relevant case studies.
England · London
Inner and outer boroughs, from Westminster, Camden and the City to Croydon, Enfield and Hillingdon.
Noise surveys in London →
England · South East
Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, covered from our Southampton base.
Noise surveys in the South East →
England · South West
Bristol, Bath, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
Noise surveys in the South West →
England · East of England
Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and the surrounding growth areas.
Noise surveys in Cambridge →
England · East Midlands
Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Lincoln, Northampton and the M1 logistics corridor.
Noise surveys in the East Midlands →
England · West Midlands
Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, the Black Country and the wider region.
Noise consultants in the West Midlands →
England · North West
Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Lancashire and Cumbria.
Noise consultants in the North West →
England · North East
Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Teesside and Northumberland.
Noise consultants in the North East →
Wales
South, Mid and North Wales, assessed against Planning Policy Wales and TAN 11.
Noise surveys in Wales →
Scotland
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and beyond, assessed against NPF4 and PAN 1/2011.
Acoustic consultants in Scotland →
Northern Ireland
Belfast, Lisburn, Derry, Newry and all 11 council areas, assessed against the SPPS.
Acoustic consultants in Northern Ireland →
Our services
Whichever region your site is in, the same specialist services are available, combined into a single report where your project needs more than one.
Planning-ready noise impact assessments for residential, commercial and mixed-use schemes, including responses to planning conditions.
Noise impact assessments →
Day and night noise surveys that set glazing, ventilation and garden design for new homes near roads, railways and industry.
Environmental noise surveys →
Air conditioning, heat pumps, extract and condensers assessed against background sound at the nearest homes.
Plant noise assessments →
Construction noise and vibration predictions, Section 61 applications and on-site noise monitoring.
Construction noise monitoring →
How it works
A clear, fixed-fee process built around your planning programme. You always know what is being assessed, why, and when your report will be ready.
01
Share the site address, drawings and any planning condition or EHO comments. We confirm the right assessment and send a fixed-fee quote.
02
We measure the existing noise climate with Class 1 instrumentation, including night-time and unattended monitoring where the assessment calls for it.
03
Results are assessed against BS 8233, ProPG, BS 4142 or BS 5228 as relevant, with clear, practical mitigation set out for your design team.
04
We respond to questions from planning officers and Environmental Health, and help you discharge noise-related planning conditions.
What we assess
Wherever your site is, each survey is designed around the sources that matter at your address, measured at the right times and positions.
Motorways, A-roads, junctions and town-centre routes affecting new homes.
Main lines, trams, freight and flight paths, including night-time events.
Bars, cafés, gyms, padel courts and venues beside homes.
Air conditioning, heat pumps, extract and refrigeration.
Workshops, industrial estates, distribution yards and port activity.
Demolition, piling and build programmes near neighbours.
Policy and guidance
Planning policy differs across the UK. Reports reference the framework the case officer will apply, plus the British Standards Environmental Health expect everywhere.
Planning policy
NPPF and PPG Noise
Planning Policy Wales and TAN 11
NPF4 and PAN 1/2011
Local requirements
Council Local Plans
Noise SPDs and guidance
Agent of Change
Planning conditions
Standards and guidance
BS 8233:2014
ProPG: Planning and Noise
BS 4142:2014+A1:2019
BS 5228
Approved Document O
Where we work
From single plots to larger schemes, we work for developers, architects, planning consultants, businesses and homeowners throughout the UK.
Across England
Planning noise work for councils from Cornwall to Cumbria, run from our Southampton base.
London · South East · South West · East of England · Midlands · North West · North East · Yorkshire
Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Guernsey
Assessments framed around each nation's own planning policy and Environmental Health expectations.
Cardiff · Newport · Swansea · Glasgow · Edinburgh · Dundee · Aberdeen · Belfast · Guernsey
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most about where we work and how site visits are arranged.
Almost certainly. We carry out noise surveys and acoustic assessments throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If your region is not listed above, send us the site address and we will confirm availability and timescales with your quote.
Site visits can typically be arranged within 3–5 working days of instruction, with faster options for urgent deadlines. We confirm the survey dates, duration and reporting programme with your quote.
The acoustic standards are largely the same, but the planning policy differs: Planning Policy Wales and TAN 11 in Wales, NPF4 and PAN 1/2011 in Scotland, and the Strategic Planning Policy Statement in Northern Ireland. Each report references the framework the case officer will apply.
Yes. We have carried out assessments in Guernsey and can advise on projects elsewhere in the Channel Islands. Send us the details and we will confirm the scope and programme.
Simple noise assessments can start from around £750, and a planning noise survey and report for a small-to-medium project commonly costs £1,000–£2,500+. The fee depends on how long monitoring needs to run, the number of measurement positions and what the council requires. We always provide a fixed-fee quote. Our guide to noise assessment costs explains the main price factors.
The site address, a description of the proposal, site and floor plans, and any comments from the council or Environmental Health. Plant schedules or operating hours help for commercial schemes.
It depends on the scheme: BS 8233 and ProPG for noise affecting new homes, BS 4142 for plant and commercial sound, BS 5228 for construction, and other guidance for music, sport and leisure noise.
BS 8233 gives guidance on acceptable noise levels inside and around homes and other buildings. Together with ProPG, it is used to design glazing, ventilation and outdoor amenity areas for new residential development. BS 4142 assesses the impact of industrial and commercial sound, such as plant and machinery, on nearby residents by comparing it with the existing background sound level.
A planning noise report sets out the site and proposal, the relevant policy and standards, the survey methodology and equipment, the measured results, the assessment against the applicable criteria and any mitigation needed, such as glazing, ventilation, barriers or plant attenuation. See what a noise impact assessment report includes for a full breakdown.
Noise surveys across the UK
Send us the site address, drawings and any comments from the council or Environmental Health. We'll confirm exactly which assessment you need and send a fixed-fee quote, aiming to reply within 24–48 hours.
MIOA acoustic consultant · Class 1 instrumentation · Fixed fees · UK-wide
