Noise Amelioration Scheme (Military)
Find out about the military environmental noise scheme, and if you may be eligible for compensation.
Please note this policy is under review
The Noise Amelioration Scheme (Military) (NAS(M)) is a non-statutory direct assistance scheme for residents who live within the eligibility areas of military airfields and ranges. The scheme is part of MOD’s noise mitigation programme, which aims to reduce the effect of noise disturbance from military activities to those who live close to a military airfield or range.
The NAS(M) broadly follows the environmental noise schemes at the civil airports of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead.
The eligibility areas are defined by noise contours which record the average levels of sound around the airfield or range; these contours are contained within the reports on this site. The measurement of sound is undertaken using the decibel (dB) scale. The human ear does not detect all frequencies of sound equally efficiently (the ear responds less to very high and very low pitch sounds). To compensate for this, electronic filtering is used to mimic the varying sensitivity of the ear. This filtering is called ‘A-weighting’ and is signified as dB(A). The contour is further defined by the LAeq which is the average level of noise produced by the activities throughout the 16 hour period. LAeq is also the characteristic utilised in international standards relevant to environmental noise assessment
Introduction of a NAS(M) is considered on a station by station basis and has 3 eligibility criteria and residents living in the immediate vicinity of a military airfield may be entitled to:
LAeq, 16hr 72dB contour: owners of properties within this contour may receive an offer for the MOD to purchase. If the owners do not wish to sell, they may be offered the MOD acoustic glazing package.
LAeq,16h 66dB contour: owners of properties within this contour may receive an offer of a grant to install an acoustic insulation package comprising of acoustic double glazing system of at least 6.4L (12)10) for all bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens (where the kitchen forms a substantial part of the living space). Bathrooms are not considered to be living rooms, nor are conservatories. Package may also include installation of passive acoustic louvered ventilation systems or mechanical acoustically louvered ventilation systems if in kitchens.
LAeq,16h 63dB contour: applies to noise sensitive areas such as schools/colleges, hospitals, care homes. Owners of these properties may receive an offer of a grant for installation an appropriate acoustic insulation package. The grant will only apply to buildings built or converted for use before the publication of the white paper, ‘Future of air transport in the UK 2003’ as it is expected that any development given planning permission after that date would have been built with the appropriate noise insulation.
This information is designed so that residents who live near military airfields and local authority planning/environment officers can view electronic versions of the noise contours conducted at military airfields.
Properties that lie outside these contours are not eligible for assistance under NAS(M). Although it is appreciated that residents outside of the contours will still see and hear aircraft, the NAS(M) is designed to assist those residents in the vicinity of military air stations whose homes are most affected by noise from military aircraft.
Related information
For information on the previous scheme visit: Noise Insulation Grant Scheme (NIGS) on the UK Government Web Archive
East England
Northern England
Scotland
South west England
Wales
Updates to this page
Last updated 16 August 2019 + show all updates
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Amended broken link to Noise Insulation Grant Scheme (NIGS) archive.
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Added note to say the policy is under review.
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Added new page for RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall (USAF).
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Added RAF Coningsby.
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Added Scotland NAS(M) Report for RAF Leuchars .
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Added East of England RAF Marham report.
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Added Noise Amelioration Scheme (Military): RAF Valley and RAF Mona under section Wales
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First published.