Quiet areas and health

Silence is becoming increasingly rare in the Netherlands. But many people nonetheless have a need for areas that are still quiet and calm. Noise is no longer a problem affecting just urban residential areas*. If the government fails to act, 30 to 40 per cent of the official quiet areas and nature reserves and recreation areas will be affected by noise over time, especially road traffic and aircraft noise**. The underlying causes are growing mobility and sprawling urban and infrastructural development.
Without specific policy spearheads, the spatial variation between activity and silence emphatically targeted by spatial planning policy will vanish under a noise blanket spreading across the Netherlands. Areas close to cities where people can enjoy peace and quiet will become ever scarcer in future. People will have to travel greater distances to spend their free time in quiet, outdoor surroundings.

* ‘Noise’ is defined here as ‘unwanted sound’.
** The chosen threshold is 40 dB(A).