Cádiz submits its Strategic Noise Map for public consultation

The Cádiz City Council has submitted the municipality’s Strategic Noise Map (SNM) for public consultation, via a decree dated August 25, 2026, signed by the Mayor-President, Bruno García León. The announcement is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz, number 175, dated September 10, 2026, under reference No. 281.144.

The document may be consulted for one month at the Urban Planning Delegation, located at calle Sopranis no. 10, Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 13:00 hours. The decree, dated in Cádiz on August 26, 2026, is signed by the Head of the Urban Planning Service, Juan Jesús Castillo Costa, by delegation of the Secretary General.

Regulatory Framework

The obligation to prepare the map derives from Law 37/2003, of November 17, on Noise, which transposes Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise into the Spanish legal system. As Cádiz is an agglomeration of more than 100,000 inhabitants, the municipality is required to have this instrument, which is further developed by Royal Decree 1513/2005 and Royal Decree 1367/2007.

Prior to its approval, Article 14 of Law 37/2003 and Article 16 of Decree 50/2025, of February 24, which approves the Regulation for the preservation of acoustic quality in Andalusia, require the map to be submitted for public consultation for a minimum period of one month and forwarded to the competent Department for environmental affairs to issue a binding report regarding legality issues.

Content and Preparation of the Map

The Strategic Noise Map constitutes the graphic representation of the acoustic situation of the municipal district and aims to evaluate the exposure of the population of Cádiz to noise pollution, allow for predictions, and adopt an action plan with corrective measures. Its fundamental characteristics are:

• The determination of noise exposure is carried out using common methods established by the European Community to obtain a homogeneous database.
• They represent long-term sound exposure, based on average levels over the course of a year.
• They serve as a basis for the Administration to develop action plans to improve the acoustic situation.
• The need to inform the population is established to promote citizen awareness.

The map was prepared by the technical team IBERMAD, MEDIO AMBIENTE Y DESARROLLO, S.L. and by the acoustic simulation and measurement team PROFCONTROL INGENIEROS, S.L.

Relevance for the Citizenship

The public consultation allows the residents and entities of Cádiz to become acquainted with the city’s acoustic diagnosis and submit allegations before the final approval of the document. The map will serve as the basis for designing future action plans against noise, which will affect the quality of life, urban planning, and the management of the municipality’s main sources of noise pollution.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz, no. 175, September 10, 2026, Local Administration section (official reference: No. 281.144).