Incessant aircraft noise on easterly operations causes much distress for Windsor residents. Read Councillor Da Costa’s letter supporting Heathrow’s attempt to spread flights equally over all four runway quadrants.

If you also want to support the appeal for fairer noise sharing over Windsor, read the how to article, “Heathrow Noise Deadline – take action“, and also the related WWRA submission at, “Letter to support Heathrow’s taxi-way appeal” – feel free to copy any content in these articles.

Want to  know what the fuss is all about?

Read our article, “A guide to the Heathrow Airport Planning Appeal”

 

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Councillor Da Costa’s letter in support of the Heathrow planning appeal to allow fairer distribution of flights on Easterly operations

19^th November 2014

The Case Officer (APP/R5510/A/14/2225774)

The Planning Inspectorate

3/26 Hawk Wing

Temple Quay House

2 The Square

Bristol,

BS1 6PN.

FAO Helen Skinner helen.skinner@pins.gsi.gov.uk

Dear Madam

Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Appeal by Heathrow Airport Limited

Site at Northern Runway, Heathrow Airport

Ref: APP/R5510/A/14/2225774

I am writing to support the appeal by Heathrow Airport Limited.

I am writing this letter of support in a personal capacity, and also on behalf of my residents as Councillor for Clewer North in Windsor, along the River Thames.

We live directly under the flight path of planes landing on easterly operations on the northern runway.

Incessant noise, with no respite, on easterly operations

Data we have received from Heathrow shows that on easterly operations around 95% of flights fly directly over the residents in my ward.

That is 700 flights per day, from 4:30 am in the morning until 11:30pm at night, at up to 2 flights per minute at peak times before 7am, and later during the day.

There is no respite during these periods, which can often last for seven or more days continuously.

The perceived effect of noise on my residents

The early morning disturbance results in a lack of sleep, a reduction of recovery time, increased levels of stress and distress, and increased levels of fatigue.

This affects mood, community relationships, and levels of social, or more particularly anti-social behavior.

The reported effects of aircraft operations on health

I do not know the effect of constant, persistent, noisy, low-flying aircraft on our pets, farm animals, and the ample wildlife in and around the River Thames and the ecological areas around the Jubilee River, however, I can point to the documented effects on us humans.

Numerous studies have indicated that persistent exposure to aircraft noise causes a decline in an individual’s health (Hansell et al, 2013; Jones and Rhodes, 2013).

Aviation noise has been linked to an increased risk of stress, heart and circulatory disease, stroke and depression.

Locally, it’s estimated that RBWM residents are on average 20% more likely to be admitted to hospital for these conditions than others living in quieter environments.

• The risks of hospital admission and death from stroke, heart and cardiovascular diseases are between 10-25% higher in areas experiencing high levels of aircraft noise (BMJ, 2013).
• The BMJ report found that individuals exposed to persistent aircraft noise over 50dB (Windsor residents included) were 24% more likely to be admitted to hospital for stroke, 21% for coronary heart disease and 14% for cardiovascular disease compared to those living in quieter surroundings.
• They noted that future transport policy decisions around Heathrow Airport, in particular, need to “take account of potential health related concerns, including possible effects of environmental noise on cardiovascular health” (2013: 5).
• Aircraft noise that disturbs sleep can seriously impact upon health. Any external sound above 40dB can interrupt sleep and low-flying aircraft approaching to land or taking off at Heathrow can range anywhere between 50 and 65dB.
• Berglund et al. (1999) claimed that this can produce a lethal ‘startle effect’ for the sleeper. The noise associated with late night or early morning flights can prompt a sudden awakening, in turn elevating blood pressure levels far above normal. With this occurring over a prolonged period, the individual will become more susceptible to cardiovascular and physiological problems.
• Exposure to night-time noise can also induce ‘secondary’ effects on health. Pearsons (1998) noted that those frequently disturbed by aircraft at night suffered from increased levels of fatigue and depression which impacted upon their working capacities.
• People living in areas subjected to night-time noise also have an increased tendency to become reliant on the use of sedatives and sleeping pills.

Easterly operations and weather patterns

The prevailing wind in this area is westerly, caused by poor weather systems coming in from the Atlantic.

Easterly winds are generally associated with fine weather, so just when my residents want to enjoy their gardens, they are usually inundated with low flying aircraft. There is no peace. There is no respite.

And to make matters worse

Given the glide path, aircraft lower their under carriage and flaps over the residential areas in Windsor, which results in far greater levels of noise over densely populated residential areas.

This results in increased, and more disturbing, noise levels for ordinary folk, and the associated negative effects on our health and well-being are augmented.

A question for you (the Inspector)

Why should we suffer, and die younger, having lived a poorer quality of life because of LB Hillingdon’s refusal to grant Heathrow Airport the chance to more fairly distribute flights over all four sectors of runway?

My request

• Please grant Heathrow their appeal to allow them to build the necessary taxi-ways and hard standing areas to enable full runway alternation on both westerly, and easterly operations.
• I would value your report back on the case

Yours faithfully,

 

__________________

Mr Wisdom Da Costa

Councillor Clewer North, Windsor

Windsor resident

 

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Appendix 1

Heathrow Airport Landing Data

1 – 21 September 2014

 

Heathrow aircraft landings						Wind direction / Operation
Runway	Southern	Southern	Northern	Northern
Sept	27L	09R	27R	09L
Direction of flight	East to West	West to east	East to West	West to east
Area affected	Hatton Cross	Old Windsor	Cranford	Windsor
1	357	–	318	–	0%	?
2	–	83	–	597	88%	Easterly
3	–	53	–	616	92%	Easterly
4	–	59	–	611	91%	Easterly
5	215	33	305	125	18%	?
6	342	–	297	–	0%	Westerly
7	348	–	425	–	0%	Westerly
8	336	–	339	–	0%	Westerly
9	181	21	350	126	19%	?
10	–	54	–	619	92%	Easterly
11	–	61	–	615	91%	Easterly
12	–	57	–	623	92%	Easterly
13	–	65	–	579	90%	Easterly
14	–	62	–	614	91%	Easterly
15	–	66	–	606	90%	Easterly
16	–	63	–	598	90%	Easterly
17	–	59	–	605	91%	Easterly
18	–	43	–	626	94%	Easterly
19	19	38	268	347	52%	?
20	8	32	–	593	94%	Easterly
21	–	62	–	605	91%	Easterly
14,124	1,806	911	2,302	9,105	64%