Examination of Witnesses (Questions 11460
- 11479)
11460. So far as noise is concerned, we do not
offer mitigation at this stage for the simple reason—and
Mr Thornely-Taylor has explained this to Mr Boyd Carpenter and
he is going to, as I understand it, meet him in Hanbury Street
when he visits other residents as well—that the noise levels
which will be experienced are below the most sensitive noise criteria
of 25 decibels which are the criteria applied for noise sensitive
properties such as studios, concert halls and the like. Regardless
of issues of noise reflection, the noise levels which will be
experienced will be low enough so that they should not disturb
even the specialised activity which goes on in Mr Boyd Carpenter's
premises. That is the same for both ground borne and air borne
noise.
11461. The only period—and this I said
when Mr Serota was here during Christchurch Spitalfields—of
audible noise in terms of the tunnelling should be the period
when the tunnel boring machines go through cutting the tunnels
which is a period of seven to 14 days, as I explained to the Committee
last week. Subject to that the operation of the tunnel should
not cause Mr Boyd Carpenter problems.
11462. The issue that he referred to, Mr Methold
and the London Borough of Havering was not dealing with this issue
at all, it was dealing with the specific adjustments made under
British standards for the noise from fixed plant, it was not dealing
with the general questions of ground borne and air borne noise,
so the comment, I am afraid, is not related to this specific context.
11463. Finally, so far as the steps to be taken
in monitoring, the Code of Construction which is part of information
paper D1 makes it clear that monitoring is not the responsibility
solely of the local authority. The nominated undertaker will also
be required to monitor and to comply with the noise levels which
are set and you will find that in sections 5.1 and 5.2 of the
Construction Code in IPD 1.[48]
Thank you.
11464. Mr Liddell-Grainger: Mr Carpenter?
11465. Mr Carpenter: Yes, there are quite
a few points I would like to respond to very briefly. I had a
letter from Tom Mantey concerning the work in my flat today so
I was concerned about the health impacts on me as well as being
able to work there. They have 60 dBA daytime and 43 dBA evening
noise. I was talking about night time noise events which do not
wake you up but disturb your sleep, that is the concern they will
impact on my health in that way. These noise events are not loud
enough to wake you up but they are loud enough to disturb your
sleep and cause the cardiac arrhythmia. On the measurement of
the noise, my point on that is it is the level that you set the
background noise against. If your background noise level is set
high then everything looks okay against that background noise
level, but we are talking about adding noise events to the existing
sound scape that is there. That is what that discussion was about.
If you say the background noise level is 60 dB when it is in fact
40 dB, that is a colossal difference. I am not saying that, I
am just giving you that as an example. I am a bit concerned about
that.
11466. The shaft originally was in Princelet
Street on the 2002 guide and was moved across the road to Hanbury
Street. It was Hanbury Street but it had been in Princelet Street,
so it was not fixed in place, I do not believe, until the spoil
adit system was put in place. I think that was part of that. Prior
to that you can see on the map of Princelet Street there is a
big area that says "warehouse" just to the left of the
coloured part of the site across the road and that was where the
original vent shaft was proposed in the original alignment. It
was moved to Hanbury Street. The only things I have seen have
always said Hanbury Street and that has always been to do with
the adit as far as I have seen, I have not seen any other information
than that. Crossrail have always said they need to take the spoil
out through that tunnel and it needs to be there, and that was
what they told us and we believed them. They told us they could
not move it anywhere else because that would make the tunnel for
the spoil too long and it would not make it economically viable
to move it. They told us that information. That is what I am going
on.
11467. I am a bit surprised that as residents
that we were expected to look at an exhibition board in Whitechapel
that had one sentence about Pedley Street, which is a very, very
long way away from Whitechapel, and be able to spot that. I am
sorry I did say there was no mention of it, I am very, very sorry,
there was mention of it, it was mentioned, it just was not on
the other maps. Again, I do not think that has satisfied too many
of my concerns. It has some of them with the stationary impact
assessment and so on, I am very pleased about that. I have presented
you with detailed evidence on the consultation from the WHO reports,
and those will explain the situation of residents in some detail.
That is all I want to say.
11468. Mr Liddell-Grainger: Mr Carpenter,
thank you very much indeed. Can I call Ms Thornton, please.
The Petition of Woodseer and Hanbury Street
Residents' Association.
Ms Thornton appeared as counsel on behalf of
the Petitioner.
11469. Mr Elvin: I say nothing more by
way of introduction than this is the Residents' Association.
11470. Ms Thornton: Members of the Committee,
I will be brief this evening. I am very aware you have heard a
lot of evidence from the Spitalfields' residents already. In preparing
the presentation this evening we took the opportunity to review
all of the transcripts of the relevant sessions and we have annexed
them to a letter which I hope you have got before you, just to
demonstrate that we have tried to prepare as best we can to avoid
repeating arguments that have already been made. I firstly want
to check that everybody has the letter I am referring to and presenting
on. It is a letter from Guy Carpenter, who you have actually just
heard from, in his capacity as Secretary of the Residents' Association.
11471. Mr Elvin: I am afraid we only
received it before the Committee resumed so it has not been introduced.
11472. Mr Liddell-Grainger: If you could
have it circulated.
11473. Ms Thornton: There were copies
circulated earlier.
11474. Mr Liddell-Grainger: What was
the number?
11475. Mr Elvin: It has not got one.
This is the first time it is being presented. It has got "Woodseer
and Hanbury Residents' Association" on the top.
11476. Mr Liddell-Grainger: The only
one we have got is A126. We will call this A127.
11477. Ms Thornton: Perhaps if I could
explain. The letter arrived before you this afternoon because
those instructing me reviewed over 500 pages of transcript to
ensure we did not repeat ourselves and as the transcripts had
only arrived by the end of last week the process has taken time.
We apologise and we hope the Committee understands the reason
for that. I will take you through the main points of the letter.
11478. Before I go further I would just like
to say that I intend to be relatively brief this evening. Just
because I am being brief does not in any way underplay the state
of concern and anxiety that is felt by those affected.
11479. Mr Liddell-Grainger: That is absolutely
understood, Ms Thornton, thank you very much for bringing it to
our attention.
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