The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) devotes considerable efforts to pre-empting noise problems that may arise from land use and public work planning activities. These efforts are useful in ensuring new noise-sensitive uses will not be exposed to excessive noise, new infrastructure will not cause insurmountable noise problems, and opportunities for noise improvement during urban redevelopment will be seized as they arise. Statistics for planning advice/cases over the years are shown in Figure 1. The majority of these are related to major planning studies (see Figure 2).

Prevention of Noise Pollution on a Strategic Level

A major focus for preventing noise problems is the Third Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-3), which was completed in October 1999. The study aims to determine how to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of mobility for passengers and freight by all transport modes up to 2016. A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) was conducted to analyse and assess various development processes and options and noise pollution was one of the impacts looked into.

Noise was assessed along some 200 major roads in 1997 and some 429 000 residents were found to be exposed to excessive traffic noise. The total population affected is in fact higher because there are more than 200 roads in the territory. The noise situation would significantly deteriorate under different growth scenarios. If there is no restraint in the growth of traffic, 50 per cent of the population would be exposed to excessive noise by 2016.

The SEA of CTS-3 therefore recommended a number of noise improvement measures to complement the proposed transport strategy (see Table). Some would need further study to assess their feasibility and cost effectiveness. In addition, a task group chaired by the Transport Department with representatives from the EPD and other relevant departments and bureaux has been established to conduct regular reviews of the recommended measures and provide advice on their implementation.

Protecting New Dwellings from Excessive Noise

Two types of noise are of concern when planning new housing developments: traffic noise and industrial noise. The EPD has provided noise planning advice for large development and re-development projects, as well as for comparatively smaller residential proposals made to the Town Planning Board.

The relevant planning requirements are stipulated in Chapter 9 of the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines. The goal is not so much to mitigate against noise, but to avoid incompatible land uses being put close to each other. However, in cases of urban re-development in particular, it is difficult to achieve full compliance with the road traffic noise standard. Screens or barriers can be erected, or the building design may have noise-sensitive windows facing away from the roads. But this may not be enough and good insulation windows often are required as a last resort to further minimise noise impacts.