Adrian James Acoustics has a long history of providing acoustics expert witness representation in court. Senior members of our team frequently appear as expert witnesses for planning applications and appeals, public inquiries and select committees.
Hearing loss
We have undertaken numerous reports for claims of noise-induced hearing loss. Solicitors often appoint us on a joint basis, so we act as independent experts for both claimant and defendant. We evaluate evidence and provide impartial reports on industrial claims. We can also provide expert witness representation for cases of military deafness.
Planning and Noise
We provide expert evidence at local authority planning committees, appeals and planning inquiries. This may involve appearances in court. Examples include the presentation of evidence for councils at hearings into the Development Consent Orders for East Anglia ONE and TWO wind farms. We also compiled evidence for the Sizewell C Development Consent Order. This involved examining significant additional mitigation to protect residents from noise and vibration.
We also provided evidence to the High Court in the matter of a proposed water turbine on the River Thames, and to the Appeal Court on the effects of military aircraft noise on schools.
Gallopers
Closer to home, we demonstrated that noise from a set of Victorian Gallopers at a museum could not cause a nuisance to residents. The Planning Inspector overturned a planning decision against our client, who was awarded full costs.
Noise nuisance and abatement
We can act both for residents seeking relief from noise, and for businesses where an abatement notice may have been issued incorrectly.
Recently, a local authority gave planning consent for a dwelling next to an existing performance venue, and then issued a noise abatement notice. Our evidence on sound insulation demonstrated that it was simply not practicable for the music venue to comply with the noise abatement notice and the local authority was at fault for granting the planning consent.
In another example, we showed that a studio designer’s report on noise transmission through a wall was badly flawed. This resulted in the claim being withdrawn against our client, a music school in London.
Trains and aircraft
One of our earliest projects was covered evidence on train and construction noise for the House of Lords Select Committee on the Channel Tunnel. More recently, we analysed aircraft noise near Stansted Airport and determined how a second runway would affect nearby schools. This involved assessing potential aircraft noise at 80 schools and drafting proofs of evidence.
Review of other consultants’ work
Sometimes we are asked to advise on the work of other acoustics consultants, particularly whether they have used the requisite standard of “Skill, care and diligence” in their acoustic designs. These cases are confidential and may be settled out of court. However, we have found that individual acoustics consultants or companies sometimes act outside their area of expertise and fall short of industry standards.
SEND Tribunals
An important service that we provide is for parents of children with special educational needs, where they consider that the school selected by the education authority is acoustically unsuitable. We provide independent assessments and evidence to SEND tribunals, and we advise schools and education authorities on how to provide acoustically good teaching environments.
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