Despair at CAA gives go-ahead for concentrated routes

Posted on November 27, 2015

Press Release

27/11/10 for immediate use

Despair in East London as CAA approves new concentrated flight paths
Campaigners may mount legal challenge

Many residents in East London are in despair following yesterday’s announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that it will allow London City Airport to concentrate its flight paths (1). Campaign group HACAN East is considering legal action against the CAA.

Departure routes will be concentrated places like Bow, parts of Leyton, Leytonstone, Wanstead, Dagenham and parts of Havering. Areas of South London will also experience more concentrated routes.

The decision follows uproar at the lack of consultation on the proposals last year. City Airport just put a technical document on its website and inform the Consultative Committee. It was left to HACAN East to hold public meetings in the areas which would be affected. The airport argued that, because the change was largely replicating what was already happening, it was only required by the CAA to carry out a minimal consultation.
Local people, backed by many local authorities, MPs and members of the Greater London Authority, said that a full consultation should have been carried out as some areas would get 30% more planes than they do at present. The CAA was inundated with letters calling for a fresh consultation. Yesterday’s announcement means that the CAA has ruled out a new consultation.

HACAN East chair John Stewart said, “Many people will be in utter despair of the decision. It means that residents who were hardly overflown at all by planes from London City a few years back face (2) the prospect of living under a concentrated flight path for the rest of their lives. It is a terrible prospect.”

Stewart added, “The CAA is already under fire for its attitude towards residents around Heathrow and Gatwick. It is simply wrong that a body largely funded by the aviation industry should be taking these decisions. In our view it is not fit for purpose to have these responsibilities. We are discussing a possible legal challenge with our lawyers.”

ENDS
(1). CAA Press Release http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=14&pagetype=65&appid=7&mode=detail&nid=2497

(2). For more background http://www.hacaneast.org.uk/2015/10/simply-unfair/

For further information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641

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City Airport wants to acquire part of King George Dock

Posted on November 23, 2015

London City Airport has put in a formal Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)application to acquire part of King George V Dock. It wants to acquire part of the land so it can be used for airport purposes. It appears that it would find it difficult to expand if it was not able to acquire this land. It has made the application to the Secretary of State for Transport under The Airports Act 1986 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.

If you want to object, write to the Secretary of State for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR before 5pm on December 2nd.

The Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) because, if confirmed, will enable London City Airport (LCA) to implement planning application 13/01228/FUL, if planning permission is granted following the Public Inquiry due to be held in March 2016.

The CPO includes 94537 square metres of publicly owned land comprising dock and bed withing King George V (KGV) Dock, which the airport intend to deck over in order to provide additional aircraft stands, an extended taxiway and an Eastern Terminal Extension.

The KGV Dock is part of the Royal Docks, which regional and local planning policy identifies as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). The SINC is mainly designated as such on account of assemblages of waterfowl and birds associated with standing water habitats.

Newham Core Strategy, policy 4, seeks to protect, enhance and create habitats for biodiversity across Newham. Expansion of LCA over a large area of KGV Dock is not in keeping with this policy.

The KGV Dock is also part of the Blue Ribbon Network and the proposed development over the dock is contrary to 7.27, para 7.28 last sentence and Policy 7.28 paragraphs Ab, Ac and AF of the London Plan (and hence the Development Plan).

Historic England advised that the proposed development would cause harm to the signifiacance of the dock because it would reduce the current visible scale and extent of the water, which is a key aspect of the historic interest of the KGV Dock.

When making an objection you will need to quote the areas you are objecting about:

Approximately 4763 square metres of land, access roads, service yard and private highway in the vicinity of London City Airport and the London City Airport Docklands Light Railway Station (refs: L1 – L9).

Approximately 94537 square metres of land comprising dock and bed thereof within King George V Dock, including dolphin structures and located to the east of London City Airport, south of the existing East Pier at London City Airport and north of private highway (Hartman Road) (refs L10 – L13)

Approximately 12574 square metres of private highway (Hartman Road) to the south of King George V Dock (refs L14 – L17)

Approximately 124 square metres of public adopted highway (Hartman Road) at its junction with Fishguard Way (ref18)

There is also a parallel proposal to object to:London City Airport (Rights Over Land) Order. Send objection to the same address.

DID YOU KNOW

• LCY already have permission for 111,000 flights per year; up to 592 flights per weekday

• LCY have 5 noise monitors close to the airport and 1 in SE28; the only monitor south of the river. You can access these monitors to see the noise measurement an aircraft from ANY airport creates as it flies over. https://webtrak.emsbk.com/lcy

• London is the most overflown city in the world, with 6 London airports (LCY, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Southend). We also hear long haul planes that overfly the UK

• Home buyers can research if your home is under a concentrated flight path, which could jeopardise your house sale

• A concentrated flight path (first introduced in 2016) means all aircraft follow the same route; like a motorway. It means there is no escape if you live under it. The routes will be reviewed in 2025. If you want your views heard, keep following HACAN East

• 16 London boroughs live under the concentrated flight paths of LCY

• LCY does not communicate with all those under their flight paths when they want to make changes that affect us, so our views often go unheard

In the UK there are over 50 campaign groups against airport noise, pollution and expansion. Every major country also have campaign groups. We are not alone.

• International studies have identified how aircraft noise and pollution impacts health; sleep deprivation, stress, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, dementia, etc

• LCY is in the London Borough of Newham, who have approved all previous expansion planning applications. However, Newham Council have rejected the latest application for more early morning flights and flights till 7:30pm on a Saturday

• There are several free apps you can download to monitor all the aircraft in your area. FlightRadar24 shows you which operator, height, time, date, etc. you’ll realise that not all noisy aircraft relate to LCY

• There is a free app you can download called Explane. It measures the decibels of one aircraft overhead. It also records which operator, height, time, date, etc. you can submit the information to an international database.

• Although you may record 75-80 decibels of noise from a single aircraft, the Civil Aviation Authority allows airports to average out the sound over 16 hours (7am-11pm) so it reduces the appearance of the impact on Londoners

• LCY suggest that when new generation aircraft finally come to the airport, they will be 5 decibels quieter. Scientists have proved that the human ear will not be able to detect any decrease in noise

• Your voice can be heard at the quarterly LCY Consultative Committee attended by HACAN East

November 2015

Despair at CAA gives go-ahead for concentrated routes

City Airport wants to acquire part of King George Dock

HACAN East

DID YOU KNOW