Council calls for airport to further reduce noise levels

Calls are being made for East Midlands Airport (EMA) to take extra steps to further reduce noise levels, particularly at night, over the coming years.

With several villages neighbouring the airport, South Derbyshire District Council has been asked to present its views on the Airport’s proposed Noise Action Plan for 2019 to 2023.

A cross party Member Working Panel – consisting of four Councillors – was set up to consider the proposals.

While welcoming the social and economic benefits that EMA brings, concerns have been raised that the Airport has become noisier at night between 2006 and 2016, a trend that is forecast to continue up to 2025.

It has also been noted that despite EMA previously setting a target for the withdrawal of older, noisier aircraft movements at night by 2012, they still accounted for 11 per cent of night-time operations in 2016.

As a result, the Council is asking the Airport to set out clear timescales to implement the changes in full.

Calls are also being made for the plan to include:

• Clear estimates of the reduction in people affected by noise (annoyed, sleep disturbed or other) at the end of the plan period.
• Separate forecasts for growth in air traffic movements during the night (11pm to 7am), evening (7pm to 11pm) and daytime (7am to 7pm) periods.
• An overarching strategy explaining how individual actions will contribute toward the long-term achievement of noise reduction objectives and setting out proposed timescales for implementation.

Cllr Andy MacPherson, Chairman of Environmental and Development Services at South Derbyshire District Council and member of the Working Panel, said:  

“EMA’s efforts to engage with local communities, including the District Council and affected parish councils, are very much appreciated.

“The Council supports the Airport’s growth and the employment opportunities and inward investment it brings to South Derbyshire and beyond.

“Through our response to the Action Plan, we are aiming to strike a balance to reduce aircraft noise and the impact it has on residents.

“It is recognised the Airport has already introduced and is proposing further technical and operational measures, but we believe even more can be done.

“The Council would urge EMA to ensure its requests are included in the final Noise Action Plan being submitted to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for formal adoption in early 2019.”

11 September 2018