Acoustic Report requirement - new NSW Residential Build

PhanT · May 20, 2022 12:09 pm

After a frustrating experience with council approvers on my DA (almost 3 months back and forth), they come up with the requirement to have an Acoustic Report since our residential building is next to a major motorway (fair distance but still a requirement)
https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/htm ... #sec.2.119

Council approver called this out very late in the process but did confirm this can be part of conditional approval for CC stage. Just as we agreed to get sign off, out comes an email stating this is needed for DA approval.
Note: The house has inclusions for double glazed glass windows facing the motorway, with concrete top floor, hebel power plus and good cladding inclusions.

I have asked them to provide conditional report so that we can save time, but they are going on about the interpretation that a full report needs to be in place for a DA Approval delaying by another 10-15 days. I was happy to provide a signed declaration that it would be done during CC to help us proceed with the DA approval but I don't think I am getting anywhere....any thoughts on how we could handle this?

"If the development is for the purposes of residential accommodation, the consent authority must not grant consent to the development unless it is satisfied that appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that the following LAeq levels are not exceeded—

Quote:

(a) in any bedroom in the residential accommodation—35 dB(A) at any time between 10 pm and 7 am,

Quote:

(b) anywhere else in the residential accommodation (other than a garage, kitchen, bathroom or hallway)—40 dB(A) at any time.

"

KnockItDown · May 25, 2022 10:21 am

Hi, I've been through this in a previous build on a A class road in Sydney. The Acoustic report cost me $3K, and that was 10 years ago.

The issue is, your plans of double glazing windows, concrete to the upper levels, and cladding etc will most likely exceed the min requirement. However, until you know the actual noise levels as collected and documented by a suitably qualified provider, your mitigation measures will not be valid which is why DA approval will not be forthcoming from your Council (provisional or otherwise).

Hope this helps.

PhanT · May 25, 2022 2:29 pm

I agree here with your response - I think councils can do a better job to provide guidance for housing along such motorways that would most likely be common for all residential properties (at the very least).
Even more frustrating experience when we are told after 2 months of the application and just after all other items were resolved.
BTW, I did find an acoustic specialist for around 1.5k but will wait for the full report before I comment on the validity of such a report and their service.