Belfast City residents’ fury at removal of airport passenger limit
Local residents say they’re furious that the Environment Minister, Edwin Poots,
has decided to do away with the passenger – or seats for sale – limit at George
Best Belfast City Airport.
The umbrella residents’ group, Belfast City Airport Watch, says the limit was
a crucial aspect of the airport’s planning agreement, which is designed to protect
local communities against undue levels of aircraft noise.
"The Minister is flying in the face of a recommendation by the Assembly’s Environment
Committee which said, just weeks ago, that the airport’s stipulated passenger
limit should remain in place for now," said BCAW’s spokesperson, Dr Liz Fawcett.
" Belfast City Council has also voiced concerns.
"There will now be nothing to stop all 48,000 of the permitted annual flights
in and out of the airport from using the larger, noisier type of planes which
have been operating there – and that will greatly increase the misery of people
living under the flight path.
"If further airport expansion is felt desirable in Northern Ireland, there’s
a perfectly good international airport just 20 miles from Belfast.
"In these circumstances, we can’t understand why the Minister is ignoring the
needs of the tens of thousands of ordinary people affected by aircraft noise,
and placing the commercial interests of one airport above their health and quality
of life."
Last year, BCAW carried out a survey of more than 400 individuals in areas in
east and south Belfast, and in north Down, affected by aircraft noise from the
City Airport.
The shock findings from this survey demonstrated the extent to which aircraft
noise is already a very real problem for many residents:
· More than three-quarters (78%) of the 412 individuals surveyed said that
aircraft noise affected their sleep
· Three-quarters (75%) of respondents said they often had to stop talking
when a plane flew over because they couldn’t be heard
· Of the 157 respondents with children, nearly half (46%) said their children
weren’t getting enough sleep because of aircraft noise.
· More than a third (34%) of those with children said their children found
aircraft noise frightening.
Editor’s notes:
1. Belfast City AirportWatch comprises 19 residents’ and community groups
across affected areas within east and south Belfast, and north Down. For more
information on the campaign, visit: www.belfastcityairportwatch.co.uk
2. Under the airport’s current planning agreement, the airport was permitted
to allow no more than 2 million seats to be offered for sale on outgoing flights
in any 12-month period. In September, a Planning Service official admitted to
the Environment Committee that the airport had breached the limit in the 12 months
to July 2010.
to allow no more than 2 million seats to be offered for sale on outgoing flights
in any 12-month period. In September, a Planning Service official admitted to
the Environment Committee that the airport had breached the limit in the 12 months
to July 2010.
3. The airport’s planning agreement is an agreement between the Department
of the Environment and the airport. The current Agreement came into force on 14th
October 2008.
By Dr Liz Fawcett.
of the Environment and the airport. The current Agreement came into force on 14th
October 2008.
By Dr Liz Fawcett.