Next generation of attitudinal noise surveys to be developed by NatCen

The UK’s Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN) has announced the appointment of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to develop the next generation of attitudinal noise surveys.

The decision is a result of ICCAN’s review of the Survey of Noise Attitudes in 2014, which outlined the recommendation that new research is required on a regular basis to examine people’s attitudes to aviation noise and its impact on health, wellbeing and quality of life.

ICCAN will work in partnership with NatCen to develop a new, regular attitudinal noise survey by the end of September 2020, the first of which is expected to be conducted before the end of 2021.

The surveys will help to ensure that future decisions about the aviation industry are founded on robust evidence of the effects of noise on people around airports, which commands the confidence of communities and industry.

The two bodies will work alongside community groups, academics and industry representatives to agree on the framework of the new survey. This includes looking at methodology, sampling and the noise metrics that could be used to determine the population that is surveyed. 

In order to inform and provide input to the study, ICCAN has established an Advisory Board, containing a range of stakeholders, which will help ICCAN to ensure that the development study delivers a robust and practical design that meets peoples’ needs. 

The Advisory Board collated by ICCAN includes representatives from communities across the UK, government, regulators, aviation industry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research specialists and acoustics specialists.