No compensation for Newcastle Airport noise
05.07.09
Noise pollution maps for Newcastle Airport have been revealed for the first time, the Journal reports. Hundreds of people living near the airport are caused ‘significant annoyance’ by aircraft flying in and out of the region on a daily basis. However, none of them are entitled to compensation or special insulation in their homes because the noise levels are not quite high enough for them to qualify.
The airport has released its first ever draft Noise Action Plan, in which it maps out the areas worst hit by the sound of passing planes and outlines what work is being done to reduce the impact. In the document the airport says that it is one of the least noise polluting in the UK. It will now go out for a 16 week consultation, before being submitted to the Government as required by the European Union’s Environmental Noise Directive.
The Government requires all airport operators to offer households subjected to high levels of noise – 69 decibels or more – assistance with the cost of relocating. There are no homes exposed to these levels in the areas surrounding Newcastle Airport, with flight paths carefully planned to minimise disruption.
However, the Government states 57 decibels is the degree of daytime noise that marks ‘the onset of significant community annoyance’ and the airport's noise action plan reveals there are pockets of people living in neighbourhoods that experience levels of more than 60 decibels. It states that over the course of a 24 hour period, an estimated 700 dwellings occupied by 1,400 people are affected in areas such as Hazelrigg, Heddon on the Wall and Darras Hall.
Average noise levels vary during the course of the day, depending on the number of flights during that period. The report states that between 07:00 and 19:00 there are 46 departures and 41 arrivals, with 900 household – and 1,800 people - experiencing sounds over the 57 decibel threshold. Between 19:00 - 23:00, there are five departures and 14 arrivals, with 800 dwellings affected by these levels and 850 around 50 affected between 23:00 - 07:00, when there are 14 departures and 10 arrivals.
The consultation period will end on October 21 and the final Noise Action Plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State by November 30. It will be reviewed every five years.
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