Flight path meeting well attended

11:51am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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VILLAGERS packed a public meeting on Monday night to express their concern over new proposed flight paths above their homes.

Currently planes heading east from Luton Airport fly above Redbourn, Harpenden and Wheathampstead with each sharing an equal burden of the noise.

But under new flight routes, proposed by UK's leading air traffic management company NATS, Wheathampstead and Nomansland Common would sit directly under the flight path devastating the rural calm of the village.

Meanwhile Harpenden and Redbourn communities will enjoy considerably less congested skies and suffer less noise as a result.

Wheathampstead District Councillor Judy Shardlow said: "At the moment Redbourn, Harpenden and Wheathampstead share this noise and it is significant levels of noise in a very broad swathe. Why should we not continue with this arrangement?

"We all use this airport so we should all be bearing the brunt equally."

It is estimated the noise impact of planes flying over Wheathampstead would be similar to a heavy diesel lorry travelling at 25 miles per hour, less than 23 feet away.

With nearly 8,000 planes flying over the region last year and that number set to increase year on year, residents fear their peaceful village could be lost

Councillor Shardlow added: "The proposal will concentrate all flights on this path and will funnel the noise and pollution of 7,700 aircraft over a small village of 7,000 people, which is set in some of the most beautiful and valued Green Belt in the country."

She continued: "Not only will noise destroy tranquillity in and around Wheathampstead, but the sheer intensity of air traffic that this proposal contains will mean that noise exposure is unrelenting.

"At peak times people in Wheathampstead and the surrounding Green Belt will be exposed to more than six planes per hour at current air traffic levels."

Councillor Shardlow was due to mobilise opposition against flight path changes at a St Albans District Council planning policy meeting tonight.