Luton Airport wants to relax aircraft noise violation limits as it starts expansion programme
Luton Airport has submitted an application to ‘simplify’ noise limits as it starts its expansion programme. The airport has asked its owner, Luton borough council, to change a condition on the planning permission it granted in 2013, to lessen stringent noise limits. St Albans district council has been warned in an officer’s report that this change would “increase noise over and beyond levels that were previously considered unacceptable”. Luton Airport is worried it will struggle to meet one of the conditions attached to its approval, and that airlines found exceeding noise levels will face more penalties very frequently – day and night. Within 6 months of starting its expansion – to ultimately nearly double passenger numbers – the airport is supposed to reduce noise from all aircraft, to lessen the impact upon neighbouring residents. Instead of the condition placing a limit over all 24 hours of the day and night on noise levels generated by all aircraft., Luton wants the reduction to affect planes flown overnight only – between 11pm and 7am. The report by the St Albans council officer says there are already planes exceeding current noise limits. Luton Council has yet to decide on the application.
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Luton airport bosses want to ‘simplify’ noise rules they say unfairly target quiet planes
August 29, 2015
The expansion is expected to boost passenger capacity from 12 million to 18 million
LUTON Airport has submitted an application to ‘simplify’ noise limits it says will target quieter planes during its expansion.
Neil Thompson, operations director at the airport, said restrictions placed by Luton Borough Council in 2013 on its plans to double passenger numbers meant modern planes – which are quieter – had lower noise limits than older, noisier aircraft.
The condition places a limit 24/7 on noise levels generated by all aircraft.
Mr Thompson said: “What we want to do is to have one limit for the day time and one for the night time because with the current condition, if you are a quiet aircraft, you have a lower noise limit and if you are a noisier aircraft you have a higher limit.
“We want to target noisier aircraft and encourage the airlines to use quieter aircraft.”
The expansion is expected to boost passenger capacity from 12 million to 18 million.
However, the plans have been meet with opposition from a number of groups, including St Albans City and District Council.
The authority said the new limits would result in ‘significant noise disturbance’ for residents.
It said: “We objected to the original planning application due to significant concerns relating to noise from the development and aircraft.
“The variation of the condition would, in the opinion of this council, increase noise over and beyond levels that were previously considered unacceptable.
“This would result in significant noise disturbance to the amenities of residents in the district.”
Luton Council has yet to decide on the application.
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This is the report for Luton Airport, by Bickerdike Allen, on why they think the changes are unfair. 15.5.2015
http://www.eplan.luton.gov.uk/plannet/documentstore%5CDC19516796-4-1_01_1.PDF
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Airplane noise violation limits must remain in force at Luton Airport, says St Albans MP
28 August 2015
By Debbie White (Herts Advertiser)
Stringent noise violation limits imposed as part of an agreement to allow Luton Airport to nearly double passenger numbers must remain, according to the district council.
The airport has asked its owner, Luton borough council, to change a condition attached to the planning permission it granted in 2013, because it fears airlines will be penalised for failing to meet noise limits.
But at a St Albans district council (SADC) planning referrals meeting on Monday (24), councillors agreed to lodge an objection against the proposed variation of the condition with the Luton authority.
St Albans MP Anne Main wrote to SADC in support of its objection, saying that constituents had complained about increased plane noise.
She said: “It is clear that there is deep concern as to how this will impact upon local residents.
“We must maintain the current levels. It is important that residents can enjoy their gardens, their parks, or have peace in their homes without constant disruption overhead.
“Moreover, I have been contacted by residents who also believe the current levels are disruptive, and are calling for a more stringent approach to noise pollution.”
After the meeting Mrs Main said that while she accepted “we need to have a well-connected economy and airports that serve St Albans, authorities must make every effort to mitigate the potential disruption that comes with planes flying overhead.
“I am arranging a meeting with representatives from Luton, NATS [the UK’s main air navigation service provider] and residents to ensure that constituents’ concerns are heard at a high level. We need to ensure everything possible is done so that noise levels are kept to a minimum.”
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Luton Airport bid to relax noise limits of flights over St Albans and Harpenden
24 August 2015 (Herts Advertiser)
By Debbie White
The airport has asked its owner, Luton borough council, to change a condition on the planning permission it granted in 2013, to lessen stringent noise limits.
But St Albans district council, which is to discuss the proposed change at its planning referrals meeting tonight, has been warned in an officer’s report that it would “increase noise over and beyond levels that were previously considered unacceptable”.
Luton Airport is worried that it will struggle to meet one of the conditions attached to its approval, and that airlines found exceeding noise levels will face more penalties.
Within six months of starting its expansion – to nearly double passenger numbers – the airport is supposed to reduce noise from all aircraft, to lessen the impact upon neighbouring residents.
Luton is concerned that with the new limits in place, aircraft will violate limits many times, day and night.
Instead, it wants the reduction to affect planes flown overnight only – between 11pm and 7am.
It adds that the current condition penalises operators for flying planes that meet the latest international noise standards.
But, the district council’s report says, there are already planes exceeding current noise limits.
Pointing out that Luton Airport has had ample time to prepare for noise limit changes coming into affect, the report adds: “It simply seems that the operator only appears to be seeking to vary the condition now because a trigger date for new, more stringent noise limits is approaching.”