Representation by Mark Willow
- Date submitted
- 23 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I’m writing to complain about the noise from descending aircraft approaching Luton via the new AD6 route. After living in Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire since the early 2000s, I have noticed for the first time (since around February 2022) intrusive noise coming from commercial jet aircraft relentlessly flying over the village. This has been more noticeable in the spring and summer months, particularly in the garden or trying to have a walk around the village. The peace and tranquillity I (as others I've spoken to in the village) once enjoyed has been destroyed. I/we find the noise from the aircraft incredibly intrusive, disruptive, annoying, tormenting and stressful, particularly after living with little to no noise pollution which was a major factor in choosing to live here. There is a significant retirement community in the village as well as night shift workers (trying to sleep in the day) finding this particularly stressful with difficulty in sleeping and craving peaceful rest. The constant noise from these aircraft is causing great distress and harm, affecting the mental well-being of the community. I now limit my time in the garden and my walks because of this and when inside, I'm forced to close windows, even on hot days which can be deeply uncomfortable. However, even after closing windows, the planes remain audible with flights from early morning to late at night. This also effects times when working from home with the constant disruptions making it difficult to concentrate. I'm at a loss to understand why these flight paths are now above the village? Why did they need to change?? We have had no warning of this and I (and we as a community) find it baffling, unacceptable and unfair that this has been allowed to happen. It’s actually scandalous! An extremely frustrating factor is the frequency of flights which is relentless, often every few minutes or even less from early morning to late at night. For example, on one evening on 8th August 2022, over 6 planes flew over in less than 20 minutes! After the August holiday period, I'd assumed things would improve with fewer flights, but the opposite was true. On 4th September 2022, whilst trying to relish time with my children in the play area, plane after plane flew over destroying the peace and tranquillity and making it impossible to enjoy the time. What’s worse is that they flew right over the centre of the village!! It put a quick end to our playtime which is supposed to be a precious time! On 18th September, a brief time trying to enjoy the garden was constantly interrupted by the planes. For whatever reason, they have become even louder (flying too low!!!???). There is no break from this nuisance. I attach a heatmap from aircraft overflying our local area to emphasise the point. Some of the planes fly incredibly low and apart from the increased disruptive noise, there is also an issue of pollution. Surely, the flights paths should at the very very least be spread across a far wider area. If you bother to take a look at Bar Hill, you will see there are acres upon acres of farmland and open countryside surrounding the village and it's therefore unfathomable and inexcusable that planes are flying above or near the village. I am pleading with you to stop the aircrafts flying over our village and revert to the original flight paths. We cannot understand why they changed in the first place and find it unjustifiable and scandalous! There are so many unanswered questions. It’s obvious why there was no consultation because you know the new flight paths would never be accepted by people living on the flightpaths! Why are the flight paths not fairly distributed? Why has Bar Hill been targeted in such a way?? Please be aware that it has ruined life in a once quiet village and is making our lives a misery. Visiting friends and family in other towns and villages not on the flight paths only frustratingly re-emphasises the peace and quiet the village has lost!! I dread to think what will happen to house prices! Will we be compensated due to the negative effect this is having on house prices and our mental well-being? If this continues, many of us will have no choice but to leave the village as the peace and tranquillity of village life was a major factor in choosing to live here