Subject: 20210107-LCWG Minutes 08 December 2020
Good afternoon,
Happy New Year to you, I hope you managed to enjoy the festive season in some way.
Apologies for inconvenience, a few amendments were required to the minutes from our last meeting held
in December 2020, therefore please find attached the revised version for you to view. Please note the
radar pattern information and the Noise Abatement Policy are currently being prepared and once I have
those I will distribute accordingly. However, I can now share with you the summary of the 25m
Range Noise Monitoring Survey, please see below:
A monitoring exercise was carried out in the village of Black Bourton on 5th November to assess the levels
of noise from gunfire at the 25m range at RAF Brize Norton. The shooting on the day was identified as
being representative of normal use of the range and the meteorological conditions were favourable for the
exercise. At the start of the monitoring period it was relatively still, less than 3 mph wind speed, and a
temperature of around 7 degrees Celsius was recorded.
The monitoring location chosen was on the public footpath, off Burford Road, adjacent to an area of
paddocks. This was closer to the range than the properties on Burford Road and less affected by traffic
noise, approximately 920 metres to the west of the range. A Cirrus Optimus, Type 1, Sound Level Meter
was used for the measurement period and calibrated before and after monitoring using a Cirrus CR:515
Class 1 calibrator. Recording started at 10:32 and ceased at 13:47 with firing commencing at the range at
around 11:55.
There is no legislation or guidance which specifies limits for gunfire noise levels in the environment.
However, a methodology used in the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Guidance on the
Control of Noise from Clay Target Shooting can be applied to derive an indicative shooting noise level to
give an indication whether annoyance is likely. Gunshots recorded were analysed and a logarithmic
average of the highest 25 levels was calculated to give a shooting noise level. Based upon research the
guidance states that at shooting noise levels below the mid 50’s dB there is little evidence of significant
levels of annoyance at any site, whereas for levels in the mid to high 60’s, significant annoyance is
engendered in a majority of sites. The shooting noise level calculated for the range was found to be lower
than 45.7 dB at nearby properties and is therefore considerably lower than the benchmark for annoyance.
It has to be stressed that this is a methodology used for clay target shooting though so whilst not directly
comparable it is considered to be a good indicative tool.
Whilst noise from gunfire may be audible at properties in Black Bourton the levels recorded on the
5th November 2020 do not indicate that any further noise mitigation measures need to be considered at
the 25m range. It is understood that local residents are notified when firing at the range is due to take
place to pre-warn them of the proposed activity and that weekend and night-time use is restricted where
possible. It is recommend that this practice continues.
Please be reminded that a further noise monitoring exercise will take place Spring 2021 and we
expect a further summary will be provided at that time.
Take care and stay safe,
Kind regards,
Leanne King
Mrs L M King |D| Media and Communications Officer