Noise is an Invisible Killer
The permitting of the 38 Rawene Ave helipad has caused concern to the community, and on 10th August the Hawke Sea Scout Hall was packed with residents trying to find a way forward. Many cities have taken steps to reduce non-essential helicopter movements including Paris, New York, Sydney and Melbourne and there are calls to do this here. Noise is not the only issue but it is an important one.
Noise is an invisible killer, shortening three times as many lives in Europe as are killed on the roads, according to the European Environment Agency. The UN says that as cities grow, noise pollution is a top environmental risk. High levels of noise impair human health and well-being. Noise also drowns out the beneficial and positive acoustic communications of many animal species that live in these areas.
Helicopters are not the only problem: siren cars, amplified music and preaching, weekend and night- time construction, the early and late beeps and movements of trucks at supermarket distribution centres and the noise of motorbikes being tested in residential areas all cause stress, distress and anger that impacts physical and mental health.
The City Centre Residents Group are calling for changes to sections 6 & 7 of the Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw. More permanent changes to the noise limits in the Unitary Plan would, they believe, be well supported. There might also be opportunities to reduce the impact of noise within an Auckland Unitary Plan refresh. Change is unlikely to happen for a few years however. Central Government has prohibited council from doing any plan changes until the Resource Management Act has been replaced by other legislation.
I have requested staff advice on what else might be done in the interim. We would like to see:
more proactive noise monitoring – even if it is costly, and there are limitations on what can be enforced. This should take place on the boundary of sites with helipads. In the city, noise measuring should take place on the sixth floor as well as the ground level to better understand the impacts and mitigate them. Urban valleys serve as speaker amplifying noise to the upper floors. This needs to be better appreciated and measured to help inform future regulation, consents, noise management and planning.
Better communications to residents about noisy works: forewarned is fore-armed. It is hard at the moment for those doing work in the city centre to find the right person as a conduit, for example the Body Corp or building manager. It is also hard to access letter boxes or door knock. However letters or emails to all adjacent residents, or posters in the building would be helpful. It would be great to see a city centre project website that people can access that includes for all projects in the city centre the scope, times and dates of work, plus the contact details for queries and complaints. Could council put together a template for communications that people fill in during the consent process?
Less noise from construction sites – We have received assurances that there is much less evening and night work than in the past and those working on the ground reiterate they are doing more to mitigate the impacts. The City Centre Residents Group and I have requested more investigation into the practicality of using acoustic barriers, with a view that this might become a condition of consent.
No more preaching at high volume - free speech is important but staff have agreed to take steps, including potentially confiscating equipment, from preachers causing a nuisance, who ignore requests to turn the sound down or move on after a reasonable time.
Proactive enforcement of busking by compliance officers and community wardens. Compliance staff say they do revoke busking permits for breaching the rules.
Action taken on siren cars. Auckland Transport say they can't move/do anything about cars that are too noisy (only the police can do this and it is a low priority). AI tools like noise cameras could monitor noise but there are issues with using that data for enforcement. However, staff are exploring how tec might be used to manage vehicle noise in the future. Councillor Henderson has an interest in this, as do residents in Franklin Road who are bothered by noisy vehicles during the Franklin Road Lights Festival.
Progress is being made. Don’t suffer in silence from excess noise. Make a complaint and keep on advocating. This is a very real issue.