Residents worry about more planes flying over their village due to Heathrow’s new flight path plans
Surrey: Residents in Stanwell Moor are feeling anxious. They fear that new flight path proposals from Heathrow Airport will bring more noise. Right now, only 36 planes fly over daily. But that could jump to over 300!
Heathrow wants to change how planes land. They plan to alternate between runways to share noise more evenly. But this could mean more planes flying over Stanwell Moor. The village already deals with a lot of aircraft noise.
Heathrow is also looking to build noise barriers and change taxiways to help reduce ground noise. But locals are worried. They say the constant noise is already a problem, and these changes might make it worse.
Council documents show that if the new plans go ahead, residents will face a “constant stream of aircraft noise.” The noise officer warned that this would significantly impact the area.
Spelthorne Borough Council has objected to the changes. They believe it will hurt the community, especially in Stanwell Moor. Councillor Joanne Sexton expressed shock at the potential increase in noise.
Some councillors are concerned about other areas like Ashford becoming noisier too. But the noise officer claims those areas won’t be as affected. Only one councillor supported the proposal, saying landing is the quietest part of flying.
Heathrow aims to implement these changes by 2028. They insist they’re not increasing flights, just changing directions. Currently, planes land on one runway and take off on another, switching halfway through the day.
A spokesperson for Heathrow said they’re aware of noise issues. They’ve reduced their noise footprint by 41% since 2006 and are working on more solutions. The consultation for these changes closed on January 16.
