Northern Ireland noise map: what it shows
Northern Ireland's noise maps are published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). They are free to use and are the right first look at road, rail and airport noise for an address in Northern Ireland. They are separate from the maps for the rest of the UK.
Where is the noise map for Northern Ireland?
DAERA publishes noise maps on its "Noise maps" page, with two viewers. Rounds 1, 2 and 3 are on the DAERA Noise Map Viewer web application. Round 4 onwards is on a newer interactive viewer called Noise Level Maps.
What do the Northern Ireland noise maps show?
The maps cover major roads, major railways, major airports and larger urban areas, which also take account of other roads, railways, aircraft movements and industrial premises. The thresholds have changed between rounds: round 1 covered roads with over 6 million vehicle passages a year, railways with over 60,000 train passages and urban areas of over 250,000 people, while round 2 lowered these to 3 million, 30,000 and 100,000.
Can I compare round 4 with earlier rounds?
Not directly. DAERA states that round 4 maps are not directly comparable with previous rounds, because new regulations changed the noise modelling calculation methods from round 4 (2021) onwards.
What a noise map cannot tell you
A national noise map is modelled, not measured. It shows an estimated level for an area, not what it sounds like in one garden or bedroom, and it describes a single mapping year, so it will not show a road or railway that has changed since.
A blank or pale area is not a guarantee of silence: maps stop at a lowest level, so quieter areas show no colour. And individual events, such as a single lorry or a passing freight train, are averaged out.
Using the map when you are buying in Northern Ireland
Treat the map as the start of your checks. Look at night-time exposure as well as daytime, visit at different times of day, and ask the seller what has been done about noise. Our guide to Lden and Lnight explains the two measures most maps use, and our guide to buying a house near a motorway or busy road has a fuller checklist.
Does AcoustaPLOT cover Northern Ireland?
Not yet. AcoustaPLOT's address check currently covers addresses in England only, so we cannot give a modelled result for an address in Northern Ireland. Our UK noise map guide lists the official map for every nation.
Official sources
Other nations
- UK noise map: where to see road and rail noise (an overview of all four nations)
- Wales noise map: what it shows and misses
- Scotland noise map: what it shows and misses