Sport England publish guidance on assessing noise from artificial grass pitches – AGP, (sometimes called Multi-Use Games Areas – MUGA)

01 September 2016 by Nick Treby, Director

Schools, Colleges and Local Authorities are fast introducing all weather play areas (which can be tarmac, or artificial grass pitches), known as “Multi-Use Games Areas” (MUGA) to local communities. These can be small, permanently open play areas for impromptu games of football or basketball, or full size, floodlit and intended for commercial use into the evenings all year round. As well as football and basketball, they can include hockey, netball, and other sports activities.

There is a great advantage to having these pitches close to where people live, as it makes them easily accessible. Unfortunately though, the noise that is generated can give rise to disturbance and complaints, and in extreme circumstances, this sometimes leads to the pitches being unusable.

There hasn’t been any formal way for sports or sports centre noise consultants to evaluate the noise impact of these MUGA when considering where to locate them or whether a MUGA is likely to cause problems. Spectrum have, over a number of years, developed a procedure that looks at the existing noise environment, the relationship to homes and gardens and the extent of screening, to evaluate the noise impact. We use quantitative and qualitative methods, using Standards that although don’t wholly apply to these pitches, give guidance (like BS8233, BS4142 and guidance from the World Health Organisation), and our own experience looking at the character of the noise.

This has been shown to be robust. As sports and sports centre noise consultants we have supported planning applications for sites that have gone on to be very successful. We have advised stakeholders on locations to avoid, saving them money in pursuing unviable sites. We have advised on whether mitigation may be needed, and what form the mitigation may take. We have helped resolve noise complaints from existing facilities that have not been evaluated, but have generated complaints.

Late in 2015, Sport England published a Design Guidance Note “Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) Acoustics – Planning Implications”. This guide is independent of us, but has adopted a very similar approach to the method we have been using for several years. It provides some preliminary guidance which is a great starting point, but does suggest that “in many situations it will be necessary to appoint an Acoustic Consultant…”.

It can be a very expensive mistake to find you have located a MUGA in a poor acoustic location. If the sports or sports noise consultant raises as an issue when residents are consulted or a planning application is made, a lot of money can be saved which may have been wasted on design work that then needs to be redone before the scheme can progress. Spectrum are well placed to help you avoid these mistakes. We have worked as noise consultants on sports facilities and sports centres on sites all over the UK and would be pleased to help you develop your proposals.

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