Support
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Representation ID: 5650
Received: 15/05/2009
Respondent: London Southend Airport
In order to help the Councils to consider the noise impacts of the Preferred Option, LSACL has commissioned a noise assessment based on up to date air traffic forecasts. In summary, average noise levels would be increased compared with 2007, but the noise footprint of individual aircraft would be less than current types. In terms of both averages and individual aircraft the noise levels would be very much less that was the case in the 1960s. Noise and night operations will be mitigated by the imposition of conditions.
A detailed report has been commissioned from Bickerdike Allen and Partners and will be submitted in support of a planning application for the runway extension. Preliminary results including the noise contour predictions will be supplied separately to the Councils as soon as they are available. However, the key results are as follows:
• With or without a runway extension there are unlikely to be any houses exposed to noise levels in excess of 69 dB, normally the level for property purchase schemes.
• With the runway extension, there are likely to be around 40 households within the 63 dB contour, which is normally the basis of a sound insulation grant scheme.
• With a runway extension and 2 million passengers in 2020, the 57 dB contour (classified as 'the onset of community annoyance') would cover 3.2 km2. This compares with the actual 2007 contour which covers 2.0 km2.
• With the existing runway and 0.7 million passengers in 2020, the 57 dB contour would cover 1.3 km2.
• In 1967, the 57 dB contour would have covered over 20 km2.
• In terms of specific locations, there would be almost no change in noise levels at the north eastern end of the runway compared with 2007. Close to the south western end of the extended runway noise levels could increase by around 3dB, which the Government defines as discernable but of marginal significance. Elsewhere the change would be less than 2dB which would not be discernable to most people.
• The noise footprints of individual aircraft depend on the length of the runway. With the runway extension, the Airbus A319 can operate with a full payload and has a noise footprint of 2.6 km2. Without the runway extension, the RJ85 would be the largest aircraft that could operate with a full payload and would have a noise footprint of 3.2 km2.
In our response on the proposed conditions (Policy LS7) we have confirmed that we would be willing to discuss various conditions which would mitigate the impact of aircraft noise on the community.