Representation by Russell Collins
- Date submitted
- 11 May 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Having lived in Harpenden for over 30 years I have witnessed the expansion of aircraft movements from Luton Airport and the unrelenting increase in noise and air pollution suffered by residents with the noise being particularly excessive and concentrated on the existing departure and landing routes. Residents complaints do not seem to have been properly considered by the airport or previous planning approvals. In my case we experience loud daytime and nighttime noise particularly from westerly departures which overfly our house at far too low an altitude apparently due to restrictions on climb rates and also do not utilise alternative routes to relieve residents of far too frequent noisy planes overhead. In my view the noise and other pollution currently caused by the airport and that expected to occur under any expansion should be sufficient to determine that no expansion should be approved. In any case, any increase in capacity of the airport without changes to airspace so that planes can climb much more steeply and utilise multiple departure (and arrival routes) should not be approved as it would be unbearable to overflown residents such as myself, especially with aircraft following the existing westerly RNAV routes. The current project (if approved) would cause extreme and excessive levels of noise (and also other pollution). I have followed the airport's previous and current expansion plans and looked at their documents. In my experience the promises on quieter aircraft have never been kept. The estimates of, and weight given in decisions, to environmental considerations such as noise and air pollution should be more central to any assessment of the expansion. Additionally, the airport has not even kept its operations within previous planning conditions and promises made at the time those expansions were proposed. Previous planning proposals were approved by Luton Borough Council which as owner receives significant revenue from the airport and indeed additional revenue for each additional flight. These approvals were given despite significant representations by individuals and organisations making the case for multiple routes, faster climbs and more consideration of the impact of aircraft noise (and other pollution) over residents of towns such as Harpenden. I would like to see proper weight given to the noise impact of the current expansion proposals. As a minimum I believe that any increase in aircraft movements at Luton Airport must wait until the following are fully in place (not just promised). 1. Multiple different departure and arrival routes from Luton Airport ideal as many as Heathrow but as a minimum 5 departure and 5 arrival routes, for example to relieve those living in a succession of Hertfordshire towns overflown by aircraft causing the current excessive noise. 2. Permission for faster climb rates immediately after take off (westerly and easterly) to reach comparable aircraft altitude heights as those which take off from Heathrow, which should in and of itself reduce the noise pollution considerably. For example, before overflying local towns and villages (especially Markyate, Redbourn, Harpenden, St Albans, Wheathamsted, Sandridge). 3. No approval for any expansion at all of nighttime flights to remove the anomaly allowing Luton Airport to further expand nighttime flights, having previously failed to comply even with the existing limits. 4. Prior introduction of much quieter aircraft by all carriers with specific targets Eg over 50% of flights by a certain date, over 75% a few years later. There are other issues which are important to to consider in any expansion of Luton Airport but I believe the noise pollution is itself a critical factor to consider. Together with other environmental factors, it needs to be assessed in then light of the issues listed above and the country's overwhelming need to address climate change.