Grandmother complains after Southend airport expansion means 50 planes a day taxi at end of her garden
More planes using Southend airport have been causing noise nuisance and distress to local residents. A grandmother has complained as planes now taxi at the end of her garden, and there are 50 jets a day coming within 150ft of her fence. She says the planes going past, sometimes as often as every 20 minutes, with the noise and fumes, have left her and her husband miserable. “You can’t have a conversation in the garden with anyone because you can’t hear them. When we are inside with the door closed we have to pause the TV until the plane has gone past. We worry about our grandchildren coming around and the enjoyment of having people over for BBQs is ruined. I love my garden and used to do a lot of gardening but now it is all spoilt with the noise and the smell.” She has complained to the airport numerous times and is concerned the problem could worsen this summer when runways are expected to get busier. It is very unsatisfactory when residential housing is as close to the taxiways as it is at Southend, and the quality of life of the residents is greatly reduced.
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Grandmother complains after Southend airport expansion means 50 planes a day taxi at end of her garden
Retired newsagent Janet Marchant, 67, says the revamp has turned her life into a nightmare with 50 jets a day coming within 150ft of her garden
Telegraph Reporters
23 APRIL 2019
A grandmother has complained after an airport expansion means planes now taxi at the end of her garden.
Retired newsagent Janet Marchant, 67, says the revamp has turned her life into a nightmare with 50 jets a day coming within 150ft of her garden.
She claims the new runway strip at Southend airport, Essex, means planes pass every 20 minutes and the constant noise and fumes has left her and her husband Paul miserable.
She said: “You can’t have a conversation in the garden with anyone because you can’t hear them.
“When we are inside with the door closed we have to pause the TV until the plane has gone past.
“We worry about our grandchildren coming around and the enjoyment of having people over for BBQs is ruined.
“I love my garden and used to do a lot of gardening but now it is all spoilt with the noise and the smell.”
Mrs Marchant, who has lived there for seven years, also said she worried about the damage it will do to the value of her house.
She added: “You do worry if you have a house viewing and there’s a huge plane sat at the bottom of the garden.”
She says the problem began in November 2017 when the airport rehabilitated its ‘Charlie Taxiway’, which is the route used for planes taking off from the eastward runway as part of expansion plans.
She has complained to the airport numerous times and is concerned the problem could worsen this summer when runways are expected to get busier.
A Southend Airport spokesman said: “London Southend Airport is very proud of both its long heritage, having been an airport since 1914, and the important, positive role it plays in the community.
“We appreciate that the Wells Avenue properties were built close to the Charlie Taxiway, and are currently engaging with those residents through quarterly meetings and are actively investigating active measures to reduce noise.
“The airport has ambitious plans to grow, and will continue to work closely with the CAA to ensure the airport remains safe and environmentally responsible for all our stakeholders.”
Around 1.4m passengers passed through Southend airport in 2018 – a rise of around 400,000 passengers in a year. Ryanair, Loganair, EasyJet and Flybe all operate from the airport.
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