MP urges airport to pay full cost of noise protection
AN MP is demanding Heathrow Airport pays the full cost of installing noise protection in more homes under its flight paths, as part of its Quiet Homes Scheme (QHS).
Feltham and Heston MP Seema Malhotra said that in some streets residents get 50% less financial assistance to install noise reduction measures than others living in different parts of the street – even though noise levels are effectively the same. The MP has written to Heathrow chief executive John Holland Kaye to outline her concerns on behalf of communities.
“It cannot be correct that residents living on the same street should be offered 50% less financial assistance for mitigation measures when they do not experience a 50% difference in noise pollution from aircraft,” she said.
“I have asked Heathrow to review the eligibility criteria for financial assistance and urged them to expand the scheme to ensure that communities negatively impacted by aircraft noise receive equal compensation.”
She also raised concerns over the way eligibility for assistance is based only on aircraft noise and no other airport-related noise.
Pardeep Kalia, who lives in Berkeley Avenue, Cranford, said: “The noise we experience has a huge impact on our quality of life. Two generations of my family have worked at Heathrow. We support Heathrow, but we expect them to support us.
“When it comes to our needs in the community, we have felt let down and neglected. We need Heathrow to extend the QHS scheme and apply the scheme fairly to all residents who are affected by the noise generated.”
The QHS currently covers approximately 1,200 homes located close to Heathrow which experience the highest level of aircraft noise. The airport has so far spent £7 million on the scheme.
The current qualification for the scheme applies to properties that are within the 2011 69+ LAeq noise contour – the area where homes are judged to experience the most noise from aircraft. Homes within this contour are eligible for 100% financial compensation for the cost of soundproofing works after a noise assessment is carried out by an independent body.
The airport says it will also be greatly expanding its noise insulation programmes over the coming years. As part of delivering on its third runway commitments, it would have to provide £700m of noise insulation covering some 160,000 homes.
It has also just opened consultation on its Noise Action Plan, which includes the QHS, and seeks feedback from residents in a five-yearly cycle.
This is separate from extra measures it has to carry out as part of its plan to deliver a third runway.
A Heathrow spokesman said: “We welcome feedback on our Quieter Homes Scheme and how it could be redesigned in the future.
“Currently, the scheme is open to more than 1,100 local residents who have been identified as most affected by aircraft noise by the UK’s aviation regulator, the CAA. This week we opened consultation on our wider Noise Action Plan, which includes initiatives such as the QHS, and are encouraging residents to submit their feedback to shape our future plans.”
To take part in the Noise Action Plan consultation, which is open until June 26, go online to www.heathrowconsultation.com/NAP/.