State Planning Policy 5.4 Road and Rail Noise (Polygon) (DPLH-057)

This policy aims to promote a system in which sustainable land use and transport are mutually compatible.

The objectives of this policy are to: protect people from unreasonable levels of transport noise by establishing a standardised set of criteria to be used in the assessment of proposals; protect major transport corridors and freight operations from incompatible urban encroachment; encourage best-practice design and construction standards for new development proposals and new or redeveloped transport infrastructure proposals; facilitate the development and operation of an efficient freight network; and facilitate the strategic co-location of freight handling facilities.

The purpose of the implementation guidelines is to assist users with the application and implementation of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s state planning policy 5.4.

It should be noted that the policy and these guidelines apply to proposals for new noise-sensitive developments, new railways or major roads, major redevelopments of existing railways or major roads, and new freight handling facilities. The policy and guidelines do not apply to noise from existing railways or major roads in the vicinity of an existing noise-sensitive land use, or an increase in traffic along an existing railway or major road in the absence of a major redevelopment.

It is expected that a review of the operation and effectiveness of the policy would be conducted within two years of the commencement of the policy.