So what is this Heathrow Airport Planning Appeal about? Wisdom Da Costa provides a few pointers, and sets out the approximate timetable for a decision by the Secretary of State for late Autumn 2015.
Heathrow’s runways & the effected communities
Heathrow Airport has two runways, the northern runway, and the southern runway.
The communities at each end of these runways are;
| Community to the West | Runway | Community to the East |
| Windsor/Datchet | Northern runway | Cranford |
| Old Windsor | Southern runway | Hatton Cross |
Pilots face aircrafts in to the wind when both taking off, and landing
Background on aircraft operations?
Pilots face aircraft in to the wind when both taking off, and landing, as this allows a greater level or aerodynamic force at low speeds as the wind passes the leading edge of the wing, and so allowing greater control over the aircraft for efficiency, and safety.
When the wind is in the West
So, when the wind at ground level is coming from the west, aircraft will;
- Take off from a runway going from East to West i.e. leave the west of the runway, and
- Land coming from the East end of the runway, so facing the west wind
Spreading the noise load more evenly & “runway alternation”
To spread the noise load more evenly, airport operators can alternate take offs, and landings, between its two runways; the northern runway; and the southern runway.
By switching runways half way through the day, this spreads the noise load equally, and is called “runway alternation”.
NB Each runway is used only for take off, or only for landing.
on westerly operations each community is exposed to an equal number of flights.
Westerly operations and noise equalisation
For example, when the wind is coming from the West,
1) In the morning planes can
a) Land on the northern runway, over Cranford, and
b) Take off from the southern runway, over Old Windsor,
Diagram showing Westerly operations – over Cranford
THEN
2) In the afternoon, planes can
a) Take off from the northern runway, over Datchet & Windsor, and
b) Land on the southern runway, over Hatton Cross, then
Thus, on westerly operations each community is exposed to an equal number of flights.
Diagram showing Westerly operations over Hatton Cross
Alternatively, Heathrow can instruct aircraft to land on the southern runway, and take off from the northern runway in the morning, and then switch in the afternoon to landing on the northern runway, and taking off from the southern runway.
on easterly operations Windsor, Datchet and Hatton Cross take 100% of the noise from 4:30am to 11:30pm
Easterly operations
However with easterly operations, Heathrow is currently unable to
- get aircraft to the western end of the northern runway to a suitable point ready for take off, or
- taxi aircraft effectively off the southern runway to the east
As a consequence, for the full period of operations from 4:30am to 11:30pm, aircraft are forced to;
- land on the northern runway over Windsor & Datchet, and
- take off from the southern runway over Hatton Cross
Thus, on easterly operations Windsor, Datchet and Hatton Cross take 100% of the noise from 4:30am to 11:30pm
Diagram showing Easterly operations – no options
the noise footprint of landing aircraft is far greater than that of take off
Landings are noisier for longer than take offs
Furthermore, the noise footprint of landing aircraft is far greater than that of take off because aircraft are;
- lower over the ground for longer periods due to the lower landing speeds, and
- Lower over the ground over a greater distance due to the shallower landing angle.
- Generate greater levels of noise due to the lowering of undercarriage, and flap movements
Windsor & Datchet suffer a far greater level of noise, without respite
The consequences for Windsor, Datchet and Hatton Cross
- Windsor & Datchet suffer a far greater level of noise, without respite, for extensive periods, from early in the morning until late at night, and
- Hatton Cross suffers the next highest levels of noise
Heathrow made their application earlier this year, some 5 years late
Why can’t aircraft movements be equally split on easterly operations?
Historically, Heathrow were prevented from letting aircraft take off over Cranford under what is called the “Cranford Agreement” – this was a Ministerial undertaking given in 1952.. This forced all aircraft to land over Windsor on easterly operations.
Click here to read about “The WWRA’s history in challenging the Cranford Agreement”
However, the Cranford Agreement was abolished by the then Secretary of State in 2009, and Heathrow was allowed to take off over Cranford.
It is worth noting that, Heathrow do not have the correct taxi-ways, or hard standing areas to allow aircraft to take off into an East Wind on the northern runway, or land into an east wind on the southern runway.
In order to install the correct taxi-ways, and the needed hard standing areas on the West end of the northern runway, Heathrow Airport Limited needed to apply to the London Borough of Hillingdon for planning permission.
Sadly, despite being permitted to apply in 2009, Heathrow made their application earlier this year, some 5 years late.
This planning appeal
LB Hillingdon rejected Heathrow’s planning application, and Heathrow made it’s appeal to the Planning Inspector in late September 2014.
All evidence needs to be submitted to the Planning Inspector by midnight on 19 November 2014.
a decision from the Secretary of State is expected during late Autumn 2015
So what next? When will the decision be announced
The deadline for supporting, or commenting on, this planning appeal passed at midnight on 19 November 2014. Having spoken to the Planning Inspector, Helen Skinner, a decision from the Secretary of State is expected during late Autumn 2015, a full six years after first giving authority to proceed in 2009.
Here is the draft Planning Appeal Inquiry Timetable she set out today (20 November 2014)
| Process item |
Date |
| Start of Inquiry |
Jun-15 |
| Inquiry time |
3 weeks |
| Preparation of report |
Jul-15 |
| Preparation time |
6 – 8 weeks |
| Report to the Secretary of State |
Aug-15 |
| Decision from Secretary of State |
Late Autumn 2015 |
I hope this article has been useful, and I apologise for any inadvertent errors in the text above.
I wish you peaceful days, and peaceful nights.
Wisdom Da Costa
Chair, WWRA
Councillor Clewer North, Windsor