The Right to Silence as an Element of Urban Planning: Problems of Legal Regulation and Judicial Protection

The article examines the right to silence and peace of citizens as an element of urban planning. The concept, place and significance of acoustic comfort in the system of urban planning relations are analyzed. Gaps in legal regulation are identified, including the absence of a unified federal law on silence, the non-inclusion of noise maps in the mandatory urban planning documentation, and the fragmentary nature of the norms of the Russian Town Planning Code. The instruments of urban planning (zoning, noise maps) and the problems of their practical implementation are investigated. The difficulties of judicial protection of the right to silence, associated with the lack of clear criteria for permissible noise and the fragmentation of regional legislation, are considered. Ways to improve legal regulation are proposed, including amendments to the Town Planning Code, adoption of a federal law on silence, and development of the institution of neighbour law. It is concluded that a systematic interdisciplinary approach is necessary to ensure the right to silence as an integral part of a favourable urban environment.