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Environmental Noise DirectiveNoise Action Plan 2013 – 2018NOVEMBER 2013
www.gatwickairport.com/noise
CONTENTS
Gatwick Airport Noise Action Plan
Section Title Page1 Foreword by Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer 3
2 Executive summary 5
3 Purpose and scope 13
4 About Gatwick Airport 15
5 Background to aircraft noise and legal context 17
6 Gatwick Airport’s framework for noise management 25
7 Results of the 2012 noise mapping 39
8 Evaluating the noise action plan 43
9 Our noise action plan 45
10 Quantification of the noise action plan 55
AnnexesAnnex 1 Glossary of terms 59
Annex 2 “Annex V” of the DEFRA guidance 62
Annex 3 The process as stated by DEFRA 63
Annex 4 END noise maps 65
Annex 5 Complaint data 67
Annex 6 Summary of limit values in place 71
Annex 7 Illustrative noise preferential route map 72
Annex 8 Noise mitigation scheme boundary maps 73
Annex 9 Financial information 75
Annex 10 GATCOM Consultation Responses 76
Annex 11 The Hever & Marsh Green Noise Working Group 80
Annex 12 The Results of the 2006 Noise Mapping 81
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More than 80 years have elapsed since the first aircraft took off from Gatwick and in that time we have grown into one the busiest international airports in the world, with around 60 airlines flying around 34 million passengers to more than 200 destinations every year.
Gatwick is the UK’s second busiest airport and the busiest point-to-point airport in Europe. Its continued growth has ensured the airport remains a major employer and a cornerstone of the local, regional and national economy. Our ambition is to compete to grow and become London’s airport of choice, by delivering great service to passengers and investing in new facilities. We believe this will enable Gatwick to grow to serve around 40 million passengers each year over the next decade. We also acknowledge that communities close to a busy international airport can be adversely affected by aircraft noise and we have shown we are taking action, where possible, to lessen this impact.
Noise matters to us and we aim to be a good neighbour. Gatwick Airport sets noise targets each year to manage noise; these are published in our annual Corporate Responsibility, Decade of Change and Flight Performance Team reports together with our noise related key performance indicators. We have a full and comprehensive range of noise management and mitigation measures already in place. We have recently installed a new Noise & Track Keeping System provided by CASPER to further enhance the monitoring and reporting of aircraft performance against these noise mitigation measures.
The number of people affected by noise from Gatwick operations has fallen considerably over previous years largely due to the phasing out of older aircraft and the introduction of Chapter 4 (or equivalent) aircraft types. While Gatwick Airport continues to grow, the airport operation strives to minimise its noise impact on the surrounding sub-region and actively engages with those affected communities in identifying innovative means of mitigation.
Under the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, we were required to produce a Noise Action Plan designed to manage noise issues and effects arising from aircraft departing from and arriving at the airport. This plan detailed our actions over the coming five years and the policy framework that would support these actions. It aligned with Gatwick Airport’s S106 Legal Agreement (2008) with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council which outlines how the airport’s operation, growth and environmental impacts will be managed responsibly and laid the foundation of our Noise Action Plan.
This action plan was duly adopted and in light of new noise mapping, we have now reviewed, revised and refreshed it taking account of operational updates, proposed new activities relating to noise and progress made against current action plan actions. Having taken feedback on the revised Noise Action Plan into account we have included a number of new actions and these are detailed in the Action Plan Update Tracker later in this document.
We continue to deliver on our commitments and obligations relating to sustainable growth, captured in the S106 agreement, Decade of Change strategy and the END Noise Action Plan. We remain committed to publicly reporting our performance against these and the effectiveness of our actions to address community concerns. We continue to report annually on all of our achievements and are proud of the progress we are making.
1 FOREWORD by Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer
Stewart WingateChief Executive Officer
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Airports bring positive economic and social benefits as well as environmental impacts. They are important to the economy, providing jobs, encouraging inward investment and boosting local tourism. However they can also have an impact for those communities that exist around airports. Noise remains a significant issue for people living or working close to airports or under flight paths.
Limiting and, where possible, reducing the impact of noise is a long-standing commitment of Gatwick Airport and is critical to maintaining the airport’s licence to operate and grow.
Gatwick Airport has had in place for a number of years a detailed noise strategy and a comprehensive and effective approach to aircraft noise management. This is further supported by our S106 Legal Agreement with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council which lays the foundations of our noise action plan.
The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 require airport operators to develop noise action plans designed to manage noise and effects arising from aircraft departing from and arriving at their airport, including reduction if necessary. Airports had to submit final draft noise action plans to the Secretary of State by 30 November 2009, having been subject to a minimum 16 week public consultation.
The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 align with the Government’s aim – as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework of March 2013 – to adopt a balanced approach to securing the benefits of aviation. This is underpinned by two core principles:
• Collaboration: By working together with industry, regulators, experts, local communities and others at all levels, the industry will be better able to identify workable solutions to the challenges and share the benefits of aviation in a fairer way than in the past.
• Transparency: To facilitate improved collaboration, it is crucial to have clear and independent information and processes in place. Those involved in and affected by aviation need to have a clearer understanding of the facts and the confidence that proportionate action will be taken at the international, national or local level.
Government policy is to strike a fair balance between the negative impacts of noise (on health, amenity (quality of life) and productivity) and the positive economic impacts of flights. As a general principle, the Government therefore expects that future growth in aviation should ensure that benefits are shared between the aviation industry and local communities. This means that the industry must continue to reduce and mitigate noise as airport capacity grows. As noise levels fall with technology improvements the aviation industry should be expected to share the benefits from these improvements.
In July 2013 the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) provided amended guidance of airport operators in respect of the production of noise action plans under the terms of the Environmental noise (England) Regulations. Existing action plans are to be revised taking into account current noise mapping, airport specific operational changes, new actions that may influence aircraft noise and progress against actions within the current action plan.
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The guidance states that the airport operator will present their revised action plan to the airport consultative committee for comment after which the airport operator will reflect on them and include them in the revised plan together with a response to the issues raised.
As a designated airport operator, the Department for Transport (DfT) has direct control over noise policy at Gatwick and has established over many years a range of operational controls and statutory objectives to manage and where possible reduce noise.
Our independent benchmarking consultants identified that Gatwick is in the top three airports worldwide in terms of operational controls and among the leading airports with regard to mitigation and compensation measures.
We have continued to enhance our communication strategy with respect to aircraft noise. We have recently changed the supplier of our Noise & Track Keeping system and offer an online flight tracking facility with a much reduced delay of 20 minutes. We have introduced an annual noise seminar where members of the community and industry representatives meet to remain abreast of matters of mutual interest. We also continue to meet community groups on an ad-hoc basis to listen to community views and address any concerns.
In considering the strategic noise maps we considered that the areas identified were consistent with those already identified in excess of 10 years of managing aircraft noise impacts. The production of annual 57 dB(A) Leq (16 hour) summer contours has been a consistent feature during this period. Traditionally our approach to noise management has included actions designed to reduce ground noise as well as flight noise and to reduce flight noise for areas, outside the noise contours, that experience frequent flight noise events albeit at lower noise levels. The actions contained within this plan continue to adopt this approach.
This document aims to:
• demonstrate our continuing commitment to managing aircraft noise impacts associated with Gatwick Airport’s operations. We have identified this issue as one of our key sustainability priorities
• allow us to engage with communities affected by aircraft noise and better understand their concerns and priorities, so that we can ensure our airport noise strategies and action plans are well informed
• enable us to make progress towards our long-term statutory and voluntary aircraft noise objectives
• enable us, in our role as the competent authority for Gatwick Airport, to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EU and The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 SI (2006) 2238 (as amended).
Over the following paragraphs we have set out the key aspects of sections 3–10 of this noise action plan. There are also a series of Annexes contained within this document including a glossary of terms (Annex 1).
Section 3 sets out the purpose and scope of the noise action plan. The scope extends beyond the areas identified by the strategic noise mapping to include ground noise issues and actions that impact on areas outside the contours. The section also points out that responsibilities for noise management do not always fall to the airport operator and often fall to the DfT, NATS and/or the CAA. In such cases the airport operator can only recommend any proposed changes.
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Section 4 provides a description of Gatwick Airport and comments briefly on future development of the airport.
Section 5 introduces the issue of aircraft noise and details the legal context in which Gatwick Airport operates.
Over the past 30 years aircraft have got progressively quieter while the number of movements has increased significantly. This is illustrated by the fact that between 1996 and 2012 the number of people living within 57dB(A) 16 hour Leq daytime noise contour had fallen from 14,900 to around 3,650 during which time runway movements increased from around 220,000 to 240,000. (CAA figures).
Section 5 acknowledges that noise contours are not the only way to describe the community impacts of aircraft noise. This section details the Attitude to Noise from Aviation Sources in England (ANASE) study conducted on behalf of the DfT, some of the effects of noise and some of the early feedback we received during our initial pre-consultation stakeholder meetings and from our complaint data. It is clear that the frequency of overflight, night flying and our role in influencing associated stakeholders are all key local concerns for community stakeholders.
The interdependencies between noise and air emissions to ensure compatibility between action plans are also briefly discussed. The legal context within which Gatwick Airport operates is complex. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) sets international noise certification standards and recommended practices and procedures in relation to aircraft noise. Reference is also made to the requirement for member states to adopt a ‘balanced approach to noise management.
At the European level some detail is provided on key European Union Directives which relate to aircraft noise including the phasing out of older Chapter 2 aircraft in 2002. At a national level a number of significant Acts of Parliament and regulations are set out. These include the Civil Aviation Acts 1982 and 2006 which grant the government powers to introduce noise control measures at designated airports (Gatwick is a designated airport). This section also introduces the UK Aeronautical Information Package (UK AIP) which contains a range of noise controls relating directly to aircraft operations. Some specific noise abatement and environmental objectives are also detailed, for example that the 48 dB(A) Leq 6.5 hour night contour is limited to 47km2 in 2011-2012.
Section 6 outlines our strategic approach to aircraft noise management framed around our long-term objective ‘to gain the trust of our stakeholders, that we are using best practicable means to minimise aircraft noise impacts’.
This noise action plan sets out the themes to our noise work programme which are:
1. Reducing noise impacts wherever practicable. This includes:
a. Quietest fleet practicableb. Quietest practicable aircraft
operations, balanced against NOX and CO2 emissions
c. Effective and credible noise mitigation schemes
2. Engaging with communities affected by noise impacts to better understand their concerns and priorities, reflecting them as far as possible in airport noise strategies and communication plans
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
3. Influencing planning policy to minimise the number of noise sensitive properties around our airport
4. Organising ourselves to continue to manage noise efficiently and effectively
5. Continuing to build our understanding of aircraft noise to further inform our priorities, strategies and targets
We also describe the current measures in place to manage noise at Gatwick Airport.
Section 6 is a very detailed section of the draft noise action plan and is an indication of the wide range of the statutory and voluntary noise management controls already in place. In headline terms the measures include:
• noise and track keeping monitoring arrangements
• operating restrictions• runway use• night flight restrictions• operational procedures• departure procedures• noise preferential routes• 1000ft rule• arrival procedures• continuous descent approach (CDA)• joining point rules• reverse thrust• noise limits• departures• ground noise controls• differential landing fees• noise mitigation and compensation
schemes• stakeholder engagement.
Section 7 summarises the results of the 2011 (undertaken in 2012 and included in the DEFRA data pack) noise mapping and is supported by the maps in Annex 3. Although the mapping utilises a different metric (Lden) to describe the noise impact, Gatwick Airport’s strong history of noise management controls and frequent contour analysis means it does not highlight any new geographical areas of concern with regard to noise impacts.
Section 8 sets out how we intend to monitor progress against our action plan using performance indicators for individual actions. Where these indicators show trends which are of concern we intend to set annual targets from time to time (action 51). Our performance against individual actions will also be monitored by surrounding Local Authorities through our existing S106 Local Authority Agreement signed in December 2008. Performance will be reported annually through our consultative committees and highlighted in our sustainability reports. Additionally, this section details the following key performance indicators and the 2006 / 2011 baseline performance:
As a way of measuring the success of the noise action plan we have identified a number of expected outcomes. These are also set out in this section and detailed below:
• no operations in 2015 by marginally compliant Chapter 3 aircraft (Chapter 3 high)
• at least 83% of aircraft movements by Chapter 4 or equivalent aircraft
• performance against the noise abatement procedures in the UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) will be maintained and where practicable improved against the 2006 / 2012 baseline
• no daytime infringements against 94dB(A) day time departure noise limit
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• we will be routinely reporting noise impacts using alternative metrics (as illustrated in the following table)
• the 48dB(A) 6.5 hour Leq night contour (winter/summer combined) will be within 47km2
Section 9 is the list of actions. There are more than 50 actions detailed within the initial action plan. More than 30 of these represented the continuation of current good practice. There were, however, a number of actions which highlighted our desire to further improve our noise management approach. The majority of these have been included or amended in this action plan. There are also a small number of new actions and these are detailed below and highlighted in this section.
Key performance indicator 2006 baseline 2011 baseline
Percentage of Chapter 4 (or equivalent) aircraft 3% 99.3%
Area inside the 55dBA Lden contour (km2) 94.5km2 85.6km2
Area inside the 48dBA LAeq 6.5 hour night-time(winter & summer seasons combined) contour (km2)
41.3km2
*2002-3 figure34.1km2
*2011-2 figure
Area inside the 57dB LAeq 16 hour daytime summer contour (km2)
46.7km2 41.2km2
Average quota count of aircraft operating during the night quota period (2330-0600)
0.82Winter 2005/6
0.71Summer 2006
0.65Winter 2011/12
0.51Summer 2012
Number of infringements of the daytime departure noise limitNumber of infringements of the shoulder and night period
92
04
Percentage of aircraft achieving a CDA (24 hour period) 81.0% 90.5%
Percentage of aircraft on-track (all routes) 98.2% 97.4%
Number of individual callers making noise related enquiries 794 345
Percentage of noise related enquiries responded to within eight working days
94.5% 95.7%
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Action Plan Number Notes
New Actions 4b / 10a / 19a / 19b / 19c / 19d / 36a / 56
None
On-going Actions 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 16 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 39 / 40 / 44 / 45 / 46 / 49 / 50 / 21 / 52 / 53 / 54 / 55
In certain actions the abbreviation ‘FEU’ has been replaced with ‘FPT’ and ‘MDI’ replaced with ‘GAD’ as appropriate thus reflecting changes to internal terminology within Gatwick Airport Ltd.
The Flight Operations Performance Committee (FLOPC) is now referred to as the Flight Operations Performance & Safety Committee (FLOPSC)
Actions Removed 50 Merged 48
Actions Amended 3 / 4 / 9 / 14 / 23 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 31 / 32 / 34 / 35 / 38 / 47 / 48 / 52 / 53
3 - Includes reference to CAP 119.
4 - We commit to publishing an airline league table
9 – Change to ‘Airside Operations quarterly review statistics reported at the Noise & Track Monitoring Advisory Group under the Ground Noise standing agenda item’.
14 – Amended to make reference to the new Noise Insulation Scheme.
23 – Amend performance indicator to ‘FLOPSC Action Tracker and AIP adherence rates’.
27 – Remove references to GNC and replace with GATCOM.
28 – We will report on the progress of the action plan to NATMAG as a standing agenda item.
29 – Remove reference to GNC and include ‘action trackers’ to performance indicator.
31 – Amend reference to ‘Webtrak’ and change delay to 20 minutes.
32 – Change from ‘maintain the new fully function FEU’ with ‘we will continue to provide a Flight Performance Team’ service and implement service improvements where identified.
34 – Replace ‘quarterly NATMAG reports’ with ‘FPT quarterly reports’.
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2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Action Plan Number Notes
35 – EHO Community Noise Group is now the Gatwick Noise Monitoring Group.
38 – Replace with ‘We will continue to engage with local community representatives on ground noise issues through the ground noise agenda item of the Noise & Track Monitoring Advisory Group’.
47 – We will publish data in the NATMAG minutes.
48 – Replace with ‘We commit to maintaining a suitable Noise & Track Keeping system to manage noise, track-keeping and to provide an online self-service flight tracking – complaint facility. We will also enhance this service when upgrades become available’.
52 & 53 – Implementation dates amended.
Actions Completed 3 / 11 / 13 / 14 / 14 / 15 / 17 / 22 / 39 / 40 / 41 / 42 / 43 / 52 / 53
Certain actions will appear as completed as well as on-going if they refer to a periodic action, for example reviewing the landing fee differential every three years.
Actions 41 – 43 were undertaken as part of the Airport Masterplan Publication.
Note – the intention to amend action 30 to remove reference to lo-call voicemail was reversed following consultee feedback.
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3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The European Commission Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC was transposed into English law by the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, as amended. and requires airports with over 50,000 movements a year to produce noise action plans in response to prescribed strategic noise maps. Strategic management of noise is not new to Gatwick Airport.
Under legislation, management of noise is not always the responsibility of the airport operator. Often the responsibility may fall to the DfT, NATS and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In these cases the airport operator will recommend any proposed changes only.
Section 78 of the Civil Aviation Acts 1982 and 2006 grant the Government powers to assign designated status for noise management at airports in the UK. Gatwick Airport is a designated airport and the DfT has direct control over noise at the airport. The airport operator is the competent authority for drawing up the draft noise action plan. For Gatwick Airport, this is Gatwick Airport Limited. Government guidance states that noise action plans are designed to manage noise issues and effects arising from aircraft departing from and arriving at the airport, including noise reduction if necessary.
In accordance with the published guidance, the purpose of this revised noise action plan is to manage and where possible reduce the impact of noise from aircraft at Gatwick Airport over the five year period from 2013 – 2018 building on the actions from the 2010 – 2015 action plan. The majority of actions from the former action plan remain relevant and are included in this revised action plan.
Gatwick Airport recognises that noise from aircraft operations remains a real concern for our local communities, particularly with plans to grow and develop the airport in the coming years. Through this consultation document we hope to engage with communities affected by aircraft noise to better understand their concerns and priorities. By doing so, we can ensure an effective action plan is developed.
Scope
In accordance with the requirements of the EU Noise Directive 2002/49/EC, this noise action plan makes reference to dB Lden noise contours published for Gatwick Airport by the Environment Research Consultancy Department (ERCD) in 2006. The ERCD is part of the CAA. The contours are shown in Annex 3 and form the basis of this action plan.
Through the methods set out in this noise action plan, we seek to manage aircraft noise from Gatwick’s operations. Please note that this document includes actions related to any developments for which the airport has been granted planning permission at the time of publication. For the avoidance of doubt the scope of this noise action plan does not include a mitigation strategy or specific actions to deal with any new infrastructure such as a second runway or significant airspace changes.
This noise action plan considers noise created by aircraft approaching and taking off from the airport, as well as noise created by taxiing aircraft and engine testing carried out within the airport perimeter. This noise action plan does not, however, include noise from airport construction activities or noise from road and rail traffic associated with the airport. Action plans for noise associated with major road and rail routes are dealt with separately under Government legislation and are not within the responsibility of airport operators.
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3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The legal requirement is for Gatwick Airport Limited to consider noise issues affecting the area shown by the dB Lden noise contours as being within the 55 dB(A), Lden or more and 50 dB(A), Lnight contours referred to above. It is understood that these contours take into account aircraft noise, being noise during the take-off and landing ground roll.
By considering noise created by taxiing aircraft and engine testing carried out within the airport perimeter, our noise action plan again goes further than the legal requirement. Additionally, we have continued to extend the scope of this noise action plan by giving consideration to actions which seek to address the impacts of aircraft noise in areas beyond the specified contours.
The noise action plan also aligns with Gatwick Airport’s overall sustainability and noise strategy contained within our S.106 Legal Agreement and our ‘Decade of Change’. Our strategic approach to noise is described later in this document. For full details of our sustainability strategy please visit our website.
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4 ABOUT GATWICK AIRPORT
Gatwick Airport is the world’s busiest single runway airport. In the UK our throughput of 34.2 million (2012) makes us second only to Heathrow in terms of passenger numbers. The airport is also an important public transport hub, with frequent rail services to London, and direct or connecting rail or coach services to many towns in South East England and elsewhere in the UK.
The Airport is situated in mostly lightly populated countryside between the towns of Crawley and Horley about 28 miles (45km) of London and about 2 miles (3km) north of Crawley
Over the next decade passenger numbers are currently forecast to increase to around 40 million, in line with Government policy to make full use of existing airport runways.
In the current Gatwick Airport Masterplan publication, reference is made to a forecast increase in ground noise at certain locations around the airport. We will continue to monitor our ground noise impacts as the airport grows and will ensure that any appropriate mitigation is implemented should circumstances deem it necessary.
Our revised business plan to 2024 ‘A new deal at London Gatwick’ was released in January 2013. The first five years of the business plan have been subject to detailed consultation with our airlines since we published our initial business plan in April 2012. The outcome of this consultation with our airlines has we believe significantly improved the initial proposals we issued in April 2012. The main elements of our vision for Gatwick are as follow:
• Improvements in all elements of the passenger journey through our airport, leading to a much better experience for all types of passengers, while at times delivering further operating efficiency;
• Growth in traffic from around 34 million passengers today to around 40 million passengers as we approach 2020;
• Growth in non-aeronautical spend per passenger through innovation and improved offerings; and
• £1bn of capital expenditure between 2014 and 2020, thereby continuing the rate of improvement since the airport changed hands.
In 2012 the Airports Commission was launched, chaired by Sir Howard Davies. This will examine the scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub, and it will identify and evaluate how any need for additional capacity should be met in the short, medium and long term. It will produce an interim report in 2013 and issue its final report in 2015. As part of its final report in summer 2015, it should also provide materials, based on this detailed analysis, which will support the government of the day in preparing a National Policy Statement to accelerate the resolution of any future planning applications for major airports infrastructure.
The Airports Commission requested prospective option owners to submit long term solutions to the question of airport capacity. Therefore 2013 has witnessed the start of a process that may lead to new runway development in the South East, albeit that a new runway would not be built anywhere until the mid-2020s at the earliest. On 17th December 2013, one of our proposals for a second runway was shortlisted by the Airports Commission in their interim report. Prior to their final report in 2015 we will undertake a formal consultative process on our proposals.
Gatwick Airport’s capital investment strategy assumes that the airport will remain a single runway airport until the 2020s. However it is a possibility that at some time in the future a second runway may be required at Gatwick, but Gatwick Airport Ltd remains committed to the legal agreement that prevents second runway construction before 2019.
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5 BACKGROUND TO AIRCRAFT NOISE AND LEGAL CONTEXT
Aircraft noise
Noise is created by aircraft approaching or taking off from airports and by taxiing aircraft and engine testing within the airport perimeter. Airframe noise is created when air passes over an aircraft’s body (the fuselage) and its wings. This causes friction and turbulence which, in turn, creates noise. The amount of noise created varies according to the way the aircraft is flown, even for identical aircraft types. Aircraft land with their flaps extended; this creates more friction (and produces more noise) than an aircraft with its flaps retracted.
Engine noise is created by the sound from the moving parts of the engine and also by the sound of the air being expelled at high speed once it has passed through it. Most of the engine noise comes from the exhaust or jet behind the engine as it mixes with the air around it, although fan noise from the front of the engine can also be audible when the aircraft is on the ground.
Aircraft manufactured today are much quieter than they were 20 years ago and these will be replaced by even quieter aircraft in the future (action 10). But, even though each individual aircraft is quieter, there are more aircraft flying now than previously. This means that the average level of noise is lower than before, but the frequency of aircraft movements and hence noise ’events’ has increased.
In the UK, daytime aircraft noise is measured by calculating the average noise level in decibels (dB) over 16 hours, to give a single daily figure. The Government calls this average decibel measurement ‘LAeq’ (which is often shortened to Leq). It means ‘equivalent continuous noise level’ and is the most common international measure of aircraft noise. The Government says that communities become significantly annoyed by aircraft noise above 57dB LAeq. They use this as the starting point when setting policy on aircraft noise.
In the last 10 years, the number of people affected by noise within Gatwick’s 57 decibel contour has fallen considerably as older aircraft are replaced by newer, quieter models. In 1996 there were 14,900 people living within 57dB(A) 16 hour Leq daytime noise contour. By 2006 this had fallen to around 4,500, and in 2012 this had fallen even further to 3,650. This is even though there was a significant growth in air travel at the same time, from around 220,000 to 240,000 flights in 2012(CAA Figures).
Effects of noise
There are many different effects and sources of noise, and individuals experience each of them to different degrees. The effects can include general distraction, speech interference and sleep disturbance. Sometimes these effects can lead to annoyance and complaints. Research into the potential health effects of noise produces varying outcomes. More recently research published in the British Medical Journal in October 2013 states that the exact role that noise exposure may play in ill health is not well established. However, it is plausible that it might be contributing for example, by raising blood pressure or by disturbing people’s sleep. There’s a ‘startle reaction’ to loud noise - if you’re suddenly exposed to it, the heart rate and blood pressure increase. And aircraft noise can be annoying for some people, which can also affect their blood pressure, leading to illness. (Dr A Hansell, Imperial College London)
The possibility that severe annoyance might induce stress cannot be ignored. The Government’s Aviation Policy Framework aims is to limit and where possible reduce the number of people in the UK significantly affected by aircraft noise as part of a policy of sharing benefits of noise reduction with industry. This is consistent with the Government’s Noise Policy, as set out in the Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE) which aims to avoid significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life. Gatwick Airport will continue to monitor Government research in this area (action 55).
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5 BACKGROUND TO AIRCRAFT NOISE AND LEGAL CONTEXT
Pre consultation and complaint data
In preparing the initial 2010 – 2015 action plan we held a series of pre-consultation events with representatives from airlines, NATS, local authorities, local environment amenity groups and members of the Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM). In producing this revised action plan we have consulted with GATCOM in line with the guidance issued from the Department of Food, Environment & Rural Affairs. Feedback from GATCOM is reproduced in Annex 9.
ANASE
ANASE stands for Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England. It is a social study commissioned by the DfT in 2002 aimed at reassessing people’s attitudes to aircraft noise, reassessing LAeq as a measure of annoyance and determining the financial value of noise. The final report was published in 2007, together with the comments of peer reviewers, and is available online at www.dft.gov.uk.
The expert peer reviewers advised the DfT that reliance on the detailed outcome of the ANASE study would be misplaced and specifically counselled against using the detailed results and conclusions in the development of Government policy. The Government stated that they did not propose to use the detailed results from ANASE in the development of policy.
Gatwick Airport continues to support the Government’s view of ANASE being an important step forward in understanding people’s attitudes towards aviation noise. The report findings will continue to be reflected on and considered by Gatwick Airport when formulating noise strategies, objectives and plans.
Interdependencies
Noise and emissions to airThere are interdependencies between the emissions of local air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO₂) from aircraft engines, which affect aircraft noise management strategies. Most of the technological advances in aircraft design in the last 20 years have led to both a reduction in noise and CO₂ emissions, but in some cases have resulted in an increase in emissions of local air pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The challenge for the aviation industry is to address these three issues simultaneously.
Operational controls also need to be balanced. For example, the adoption of a reduced thrust setting for an aircraft during take-off can reduce NOx emissions by up to 30% or more compared to a full thrust setting. Many airlines already employ ‘reduced thrust’ as their standard operating procedure. While this is beneficial in the immediate vicinity of the airport, there can be a small increase in the noise experienced by those further away under the departure flight path as the aircraft decreases its angle of ascent.
Gatwick Airport has long been aware of the interdependencies between noise, local air quality and CO₂ emissions and has undertaken a number of studies to help quantify the exact balance that needs to be struck for specific situations. The level of scientific understanding of interdependencies, however, is incomplete, and Gatwick Airport continues to promote further research.
The legal context – regulation of aircraft noise in the UK
There are three main tiers of regulation which govern aircraft noise in the UK: international; European and national.
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5 BACKGROUND TO AIRCRAFT NOISE AND LEGAL CONTEXT
International regulationThe International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is an intergovernmental organisation. It aims to develop the principles and techniques of international civil air navigation and foster the planning and development of international air transport. One of ICAO’s main activities is to establish international standards, recommended practices and procedures regarding the technical fields of aviation, including aircraft noise. After a standard is adopted it is put into effect by each ICAO member state in its own territory.
ICAO has set progressively tighter certification standards for noise emissions from civil aircraft. Aircraft operating in member states must conform to these standards, which are known as Chapters. The Chapters set maximum acceptable noise levels for different aircraft during landing and take-off. Aircraft falling within Chapter 2 have been banned from operating within the EU since 1st April 2002, unless they are granted specific exemptions. The vast majority of civil aircraft now operating therefore fall within Chapters 3 and 4, i.e. they are quieter than the previous Chapter 2 aircraft. All new aircraft manufactured from 2006 onwards must meet the requirements of Chapter 4. The standard for Chapter 4 has been set at 10dB below that of Chapter 3. This is based on an aggregate of reductions in noise measured at three standardised locations close to an airport. During the process of agreeing the Chapter 4 standard, Gatwick Airport sought a stricter level at 18dB below the current Chapter 3, which would have reflected best available technology. As yet, there is no agreed date for the phase out of Chapter 3 aircraft. Although we do have an action to consult with our airline partners on the voluntary phase out of these aircraft (action 2).
ICAO also requires Member States to adopt a ‘balanced approach’ to noise management. The balanced approach goes beyond individual aircraft to consider:
• reducing aircraft at source• land planning use• changes to operational procedures• restrictions on the use of the noisiest
aircraftThis approach has been adopted through the various strategies in this noise action plan.
Balanced approachSince 2001 the ICAO Assembly has required member states to adopt a ‘balanced approach’ to aircraft noise management. This consists of identifying the noise problem at an airport and then analysing the various measures available to reduce noise through the exploration of four principal elements, namely:
• reduction at source (quieter aircraft)• land-use planning and management• noise abatement operational procedures
and operating restrictions to address the noise problem cost-effectively. ICAO has developed policies on each of these elements, as well as on noise charges.
This approach has been adopted in developing this draft noise action plan.
European regulationThe EU works to define a common aviation policy in Europe. The main driving force for this has been the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), which has been set up under the auspices of the EU and ICAO. The EU has issued various directives relating to the management and control of environmental issues and is increasingly assuming responsibility for the regulation of aircraft noise standards. Member states are obliged to comply with the requirements of the directives and incorporate them into national legislation. The directives of most relevance to aircraft noise are:
EC Directive 92/14/EEC (now replaced by EC Directive EC 2006/93) – this directive banned Chapter 2 aircraft from landing in the EU from 1 April 2002.
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EC Directive 2002/30 – this directive has various elements:
• it introduced discretionary powers to restrict the operation of marginally compliant Chapter 3 aircraft, where circumstances support this measure
• it requires the publication of environmental noise objectives for the airport
• it requires the adoption of a balanced approach to noise management, including the four elements agreed by ICAO (see previous page)
EC Directive 2002/49 (‘Environment Noise Directive’) – this directive required member states to create noise maps for certain transport and industrial sources and for large urban areas by 2007 and to adopt action plans based on these noise maps designed to manage environmental noise and its effects. The directive also aims to harmonise methods for measuring noise across the EU. We have produced the initial action plan covering 2010 – 2015 as well as this revised noise action plan to follow this directive.
National regulationThe Government has an important role in setting and developing the policy framework for aircraft noise control at UK airports and achieves this in various ways:
The Aviation Policy FrameworkIn July 2012, the Government consulted on its strategy for aviation: the draft Aviation Policy Framework. This proposed a high-level strategy setting out the Government’s overall objectives for aviation and the policies utilised to achieve those objectives. The Aviation Policy Framework has superseded the 2003 Air Transport White Paper as Government’s policy on aviation, alongside any decisions Government makes following the recommendations of the independent Airports Commission. The Government believes that aviation needs to grow, delivering the benefits essential to
our economic wellbeing, whilst respecting the environment and protecting quality of life. The Aviation Policy Framework is underpinned by two core principles:
• Collaboration: By working together with industry, regulators, experts, local communities and others at all levels, it will be able to better identify workable solutions to the challenges and share the benefits of aviation in a fairer way than in the past.
• Transparency: To facilitate improved collaboration, it is crucial to have clear and independent information and processes in place. Those involved in and affected by aviation need to have a clearer understanding of the facts and the confidence that proportionate action will be taken at the international, national or local level.
The Airports CommissionThe Airports Commission was established in September 2012 with the remit of recommending how the UK can maintain its status as a global aviation hub and maintain our excellent international connectivity for generations to come, as well as making best use of our existing capacity in the shorter term. By defining Government’s objectives and policies on the impacts of aviation, the Aviation Policy Framework sets out the parameters within which the Airports Commission will work.
The Commission published its interim report to the Government in December 2013 setting out its assessment of the evidence on the nature, scale and timing of steps needed to maintain the UK’s global hub status and its recommendations for immediate actions to improve the use of existing runway capacity in the next five years – consistent with credible long-term options. The Commission will then publish by the summer of 2015 a final report
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Aeronautical Information PackageA range of noise controls relating directly to aircraft operations are set out in statutory notices and are published in the UK Aeronautical Information Package (UK AIP) and elsewhere as appropriate. These controls cover aspects such as continuous descent approaches (CDAs), noise abatement procedures and night flight restrictions.
Planning policyNoise needs to be considered when new developments may create additional noise and when new developments would be sensitive to the prevailing acoustic environment. In both cases, the potential noise impact needs to be addressed. Opportunities should also be taken, where possible, to achieve improvements to the acoustic environment.
Noise can override other planning concerns but neither the Noise Policy Statement for England nor the National Planning Policy Framework (which reflects the Noise Policy Statement) expects noise to be considered in isolation, separately from the economic, social and other environmental dimensions of proposed development.
Local planning authorities’ plan-making and decision taking should take account of the acoustic environment and in doing so consider:
• whether or not a significant adverse effect is occurring or likely to occur;
• whether or not an adverse effect is occurring or likely to occur; and
• whether or not a good standard of amenity can be achieved
In line with the Explanatory Note of the Noise Policy Statement for England, this would include identifying whether the overall effect of the noise exposure (including the impact during the construction phase wherever applicable) is, or would be, above or below the significant observed adverse effect level and the lowest observed adverse effect level for the given situation.
Acts of Parliament and regulationsThe Government also enacts Acts of Parliament and regulations which deal with aircraft noise. The relevant legislation is detailed below:
• The Civil Aviation Acts 1982 and 2006 – These Acts grant the Government powers to introduce noise control measures to limit or mitigate the effect of noise and vibration connected with taking off or landing aircraft at designated airports (the Secretary of State has currently designated Gatwick). These powers are widened by the Civil Aviation Act 2006. The Act also permits an airport authority to charge aircraft operators for use of the airport based on noise and emissions. Airport operators can thereby introduce differential charges to incentivise the use of quieter and cleaner aircraft The Act also permits airport operators to levy financial penalties on aircraft operators who breach noise abatement requirements imposed by the Secretary of State. A sum equal to the penalties received must then be paid for the benefit of people who live in the vicinity of the airport. At Gatwick Airport, we enforce this power and did so long before 2006. All fines are paid annually to an independent charity, The Gatwick Airport Community Trust.
• The Aerodromes (Noise Restrictions) (Rules and Procedures) Regulations 2003 The Civil Aviation Act 2006 also confirms that the Secretary of State and airport operators remain subject to these regulations. These regulations transposed the EC Directive 2002/30/EC into UK law. They apply to major airport operators (i.e. above 50,000 aircraft movements of civil jet aeroplanes per year) and reflect the adoption of the ICAO balanced approach to achieving noise objectives. The regulations also set out the procedures which airports should follow when considering noise
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related operating restrictions. These include:
• taking into account costs and benefits of measures;
• being non-discriminatory on grounds of nationality or identity of air carrier or aircraft manufacturer;
• being no more restrictive than necessary in order to achieve the environmental objectives for a specific airport; and
• ensuring any performance based operating restrictions are based on the noise performance of the aircraft as determined by ICAO certification procedures
• The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended) These regulations transpose the requirements of EC Directive 2002/49/EC (Environment Noise Directive – see above) into English law. They require Member States to produce strategic noise maps for certain transport and industrial sources and, under regulation 18, relevant airport operators are obliged to produce noise action plans based on the strategic noise maps. Once prepared and adopted, the noise action plans must be reviewed and, if necessary, revised, at least every five years and whenever a major development occurs affecting the noise situation.
• Airports Act 1986 This Act gives power to the Secretary of State to make orders if it appears to him that the existing runway capacity of the airport is not fully utilised for a substantial proportion of the time during which it is available. It includes powers to limit the number of occasions on which aircraft may land or take off at an airport and schemes to allocate airport capacity.
• Aeroplane Noise Regulations 1999 These regulations set out the noise certificate requirements for both propeller and jet aeroplanes registered in the UK. It makes provision to ensure that no aircraft can land or take off in the UK without a noise certificate issued by its competent authority which meets ICAO noise certification standards. In accordance with its powers under the Civil Aviation Acts, the DfT has direct control over noise at Gatwick Airport and, following a lengthy consultation, has implemented the following noise abatement objectives for the current night flight regime running from 2006 to 2012:
• minimise sleep disturbance resulting from overflight of the noisiest types of aircraft
• mitigate the effects of noise, in particular sleep disturbance. This will be done by encouraging the airport to adopt night noise related criteria in order to determine which residents of domestic or noise sensitive premises should be offered insulation schemes; and
• limit the 6.5 hour, 48 dB(A) Leq contour (for the winter and summer seasons combined) to 47km2 by 2011 – 2012.
This regime was extended by one year to cover 2013 – 2014. The DfT have run a series of consultations on the night flying restrictions applicable to the designated London airports and have opted to retain the current regime until 2017 to allow the findings of the Airports Commission to be fully appraised.
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• Environmental Noise Objectives In June 2006, the Secretary of State published long-term statutory environmental noise objectives for Gatwick Airport. These are:
• to progressively encourage the use of quieter aircraft;
• avoid allowing the overall noise from aircraft during the night quota period to increase above what was permitted in 2002-2003; and
• to meet other noise-abatement objectives as adopted from time to time
• Local authorities As well as Government legislation, additional noise-related controls are introduced by local planning authorities as part of the planning system. At Gatwick Airport there are several planning conditions relating to North Terminal which require towing of aircraft between 23:00 - 06:30 on some aircraft stands. This is often done by way of planning obligations contained in Section 106 agreements made between the airport operator and the planning authority. Gatwick Airport signed a re-negotiated S106 Agreement in December 2008. This agreement outlines 60 environmental commitments and obligations in addition to detailed actions within six specific action plans, independently audited annually. For details of Gatwick Airport’s S106 Legal Agreement with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council please refer to our website.
• The London Airspace Consultation The London Airspace Consultation ran from 15 October 2013 to 21 January 2014 and was a joint consultation between NATS and Gatwick Airport Ltd. New European legislation required all member States, including the UK, to revise their airspace to incorporate the latest aircraft navigation capability. The consultation was about how best to enable that change.
This consultation was the first stage in a wider programme of proposed changes to deliver the UK’s Future Airspace Policy, developed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with the support of the aviation industry. It will deliver significant benefits, including fuel savings for airlines which will also mean fewer CO2
emissions, and less noise overall for people living below. This first stage addressed changes to the airspace supporting Gatwick Airport from ground level up, and to the airspace supporting London City Airport above 4,000ft. Later stages will address proposals for airspace supporting other parts of the London airports network, to be complete, by 2020.
The following points should be noted: • We consulted on broad areas of
airspace within which routes will need to be positioned. Final route positions will be determined after considering the consultation feedback
• The net effect of these proposals will be less noise – aircraft will climb higher, more quickly on departure and stay higher for longer on arrival
• However, flight paths will change, some areas may be overflown more, others less and some will not notice any significant change
• We include the possibility of “respite routes” – additional routes that could provide some predictable respite from noise for people living below flight paths near Gatwick
• Our new design concept, making the most of modern navigation capability, will significantly reduce the use of conventional holds (or stacks), and put new route structures over the sea where possible
• This change will improve efficiency – reducing the average amount of CO2 emitted by each flight
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Airports bring positive economic and social benefits as well as environmental impacts. They are important to the economy, providing jobs, encouraging inward investment and boosting local tourism.
However, they can also have an impact for those communities that exist around airports. Noise remains a significant issue for people living or working close to airports or under flight paths.
Limiting and, where possible, reducing the impact of noise is a long standing commitment of Gatwick Airport and is critical to maintaining the airport’s licence to operate and grow.
Some of this noise results from Gatwick Airport’s own operations, noise which we have the ability to directly control. However, noise is also generated from sources outside our direct control but where we can exert influence to bring about change.
Noise strategy
Our approachGatwick is a designated airport, so the Government sets the policy framework which influences how the airport responds to aircraft noise issues. The Government’s Aviation Policy Framework outlines several ways to control, mitigate and compensate for noise.
In November 2013 the DfT, as part of the Stage 2 Consultation regarding the night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, announced that it is to roll-over the existing restrictions until 2017. This will allow the DfT to take into account the findings from the Airports Commission, due in summer 2015, before making changes to the night restrictions regime.
Our plansAlongside the statutory noise objectives, Gatwick Airport has set the following long term objective for the management of aircraft noise:
‘To gain the trust of our stakeholders that we are using best practicable means to minimise aircraft noise impacts’
This had previously been supported by a long-term goal to be in the top 20% of companies for best practice in international airport noise management on comparable sites. In reality this means consistently being in the top seven or eight airports for aircraft noise management globally (operational procedures, mitigation, compensation and communication). After feedback it was clear that the benchmarking process by which this goal was assessed was not easily understood. Therefore we have set ourselves the aim of being considered by independent consultants as the leading major international airport on noise management using a bench marking methodology supported by the Noise and Track Monitoring Advisory Group (NATMAG).
Gatwick Airport sets noise targets each year to work towards this goal, and these are published in our sustainability report and reported through NATMAG together with performance information against key performance indicators.
In our approach to noise management we have set five key themes for the next five years. These establish a framework for the airport’s draft noise action plan and help inform our priorities. They are:
1. Reducing noise impacts wherever practicable. This includes:a. Quietest fleet practicableb. Quietest practicable aircraft
operations, balanced against NOx and CO₂ emissions
c. Effective and credible noise mitigation schemes
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2. Engaging with communities affected by noise impacts to better understand their concerns and priorities, reflecting them as far as possible in airport noise strategies and communication plans
3. Influencing planning policy to minimise the number of noise sensitive properties around our airports
4. Organising ourselves to continue to manage noise efficiently and effectively
5. Continuing to build on our understanding of aircraft noise to further inform our priorities, strategies and targets
We recognise that following the publication of this revised action plan, it is important to keep communities and other stakeholders informed of the progress made. We are committed to reporting annually on our performance against our action plan and the effectiveness of our actions to address community concerns (see action 28).
Current measures to manage aircraft noise at Gatwick AirportWe believe that we have a full and comprehensive range of noise management measures already in place when compared with other similar airports. These measures cover operational procedures, stakeholder communication and engagement as well as mitigation and compensation schemes.
An independent study commissioned by the DfT cites Gatwick Airport as operating at or above current international best practice for noise management and mitigation (Eurocontrol report: Review of Gatwick arriving aircraft and related noise issues around Hever Castle May 2009). A summary table detailing the current key limit values in place at Gatwick is provided in Annex 5.
Land use planningThe ICAO Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise Management states that land-use planning and management is an effective means to ensure that the activities nearby airports are compatible with aviation. It’s
main goal is to minimise the population affected by aircraft noise by introducing land-use zoning around airports. Compatible land-use planning and management is also a vital instrument in ensuring that the gains achieved by the reduced noise of the latest generation of aircraft are not offset by further residential development around airports.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) expects local planning policies and decisions to ensure that new development is appropriate for its location and the effects of pollution – including noise – on health, the natural environment or general amenity are taken into account. This does not rule out noise-sensitive development in locations that experience aircraft noise. In the same way that some people consider themselves annoyed by aircraft noise even though they live some distance from an airport in locations where aircraft are at relatively high altitudes, other people living closer to an airport seem to be tolerant of aircraft noise and may choose to live closer to the airport to be near to employment or to benefit from the travel opportunities. There can also be other good economic or social reasons for noise-sensitive developments to be located in such areas. However, reflecting Government noise policy, the NPPF is quite clear that the planning system should prevent new development being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution. Local planning authorities therefore have a responsibility to ensure that the land use element of the balanced approach is implemented in the context of their local plan policies, including any on noise. People considering moving to an area which may be affected by existing aircraft noise also have a responsibility to inform themselves of the likely impacts before moving to the area, and airport operators should ensure that all necessary information to inform such decisions is easily accessible.
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Results from the 2011 Census show a general increase in population density. Consequently, within some noise contours around airports, the number of people has increased regardless of any change in noise. The Government will therefore take into account the trends in populations within the contours when monitoring the effectiveness of its overall policy on aviation noise.
Noise mitigation and compensationThe Government’s Aviation Policy Framework states that their overall objective on noise is to limit and where possible reduce the number of people in the UK significantly affected by aircraft noise. The policy document makes clear that the acceptability of growth in aviation depends to a large extent on the industry continuing to tackle its noise impact and confirms that the Government expects the industry at all levels to continue to address noise.
The principal mitigation measure for aircraft noise impacts (at Gatwick Airport) is the provision of acoustic insulation and can be required on a statutory basis under section 79 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. In practice however, all Gatwick Airport’s current noise insulation schemes are provided on a voluntary basis and exceeds the expectations of the Aviation Policy Framework. Namely:
• Airport operators are to offer households exposed to levels of noise of 69 dB LAeq,16h or more, assistance with the costs of moving.
• Airport operators are to offer acoustic insulation to noise-sensitive buildings, such as schools and hospitals, exposed to levels of noise of 63 dB LAeq, 16h or more.
• Where acoustic insulation cannot provide an appropriate or cost-effective solution, alternative mitigation measures should be offered.
• If no such schemes already exist, airport operators should consider financial assistance towards acoustic insulation for households. Where compensation
schemes have been in place for many years and there are few properties still eligible for compensation, airport operators should review their schemes to ensure they remain reasonable and proportionate.
• Where airport operators are considering developments which result in an increase in noise, they should review their compensation schemes to ensure that they offer appropriate compensation to those potentially affected. As a minimum, the Government would expect airport operators to offer financial assistance towards acoustic insulation to residential properties which experience an increase in noise of 3dB or more which leaves them exposed to levels of noise of 63 dB LAeq, 16h or more
• Any potential proposals for new nationally significant airport development projects following any Government decision on future recommendation(s) from the Airports Commission would need to consider tailored compensation schemes where appropriate, which would be subject to separate consultation.
• Airports may wish to use alternative criteria or have additional schemes based on night noise where night flights are an issue. Airport consultative committees should be involved in reviewing schemes and invited to give views on the criteria to be used.
In 2005, after consultation, Gatwick Airport launched a number of schemes including voluntary blight mitigation, noise relocation and insulation schemes. In 2008, Gatwick Airport launched a noise insulation scheme for homes. This scheme closed in 2013 and a revised and improved scheme will be launched in January 2014.
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Noise insulation schemeThe noise insulation scheme has been revised following consultation with residents, local authorities, previous scheme beneficiaries, local MPs and business partners. Feedback has been used to redefine the scheme and to improve it where feasible.
The aim of the scheme is to help reduce the impact of airport noise on households most affected by Gatwick operations within a redefined boundary larger than that of the previous scheme.
Maps detailing the boundaries for the new noise insulation scheme and current relocation schemes are contained in Annex 7.
Operational procedures and operating restrictionsA range of noise controls relating directly to aircraft operations at Gatwick Airport are set out in statutory notices and are published in the UK Aeronautical Information Package (UK AIP).
UK AIP requirementsDepartures :
• after take-off the aircraft shall be operated in such a way that it is at a height of not less than 1,000ft above aerodrome level at 6.5 km from the start of roll as measured along the departure track of that aircraft.
• after taking off the aircraft shall avoid flying over the congested areas of Horley and Crawley.
Arrivals:• between the hours of 23:30 (local) and
06:00 (local), inbound aircraft, whether or not making use of the ILS (instrument landing system) localiser and irrespective of weight or type of approach, shall not join the centre-line below 3,000ft (Gatwick QNH) closer than 10nm (nautical miles) from touchdown
• before landing at the aerodrome the aircraft shall maintain as high an altitude as practicable and shall not fly over
the congested areas of Crawley, East Grinstead, Horley and Horsham at an altitude of less than 3,000ft (Gatwick QNH) nor over the congested area of Lingfield at an altitude of less than 2,000ft (Gatwick QNH).
• additionally, pilots are requested to avoid the use of reverse thrust after landing, unless required for safe operation of the aircraft, between 23:00 and 06:00 (local time). This is to minimise disturbance in areas adjacent to the airport.
Continuous descent approach (CDA)A CDA is a technique of flight in which a pilot descends at a continuous rate to join the glide-path at the correct height for the distance and thereby avoid the need for extended periods of level flight. The intention is to keep aircraft higher for longer, using reduced thrust and thereby reducing arrival noise. A CDA requires co-operation between Air Traffic Control (ATC) and pilots, as well as many other factors.
A voluntary code of practice for CDAs has been produced following work carried out by a group representing airlines, NATS, CAA, airports, the DfT Transport and local government. The full text can be found in the arrivals code of practice on the DfT website.
Levels of CDA achievement are regularly reported back to the Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) as well as the Flight Operations Performance & Safety Committee (FLOPSC), which includes airline and ATC representatives.
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Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs)Gatwick is surrounded by many AONBs. In January 2014, DfT published its guidance to the CAA on Environmental Objectives Relating to the Exercise of its Air Navigation Functions. Chapter 8 sets out guidance in relation to AONBs and other relevant environmental issues. See:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-navigation-guidance
TranquillityTranquillity is a subjective concept usually linked to engagement with the natural environment. In 2007, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) compiled a list of what the concept of tranquillity means to people and created a national tranquillity map for England. There is growing pressure to protect and preserve tranquil areas and the Government has recognised that a sense of tranquillity contributes to people’s enjoyment of the natural environment. Therefore, whenever practicable and in line with the priorities presented in Chapter 4.1 of the Guidance, the CAA should also take into account the concept of tranquillity when making decisions regarding airspace below 7,000 feet (amsl).
Night RestrictionsThe current restrictions on night flying were introduced by the DfT in 2006 and initially were meant to remain in force until 2012. These restrictions were subsequently extended into 2014. In autumn 2013 the DfT announced the launch of the second stage of the consultation into night flying restrictions for the regulated London airports and simultaneously announced that the current restrictions will remain in force until 2017 to allow for the final findings from the Airports Commission to be fully considered.
Gatwick Airport Ltd had not requested an increase in the amount of night flights permitted.
The basic requirement is that during the ‘night period’ (23:00 – 07:00 local time), the noisiest types of aircraft (classified as QC8 and QC16) may not be scheduled to land or take-off. From 23:30 to 06:00, the ‘night quota period’, aircraft movements are restricted by a movements limit. These are supplemented by noise quotas as an additional measure. These are set for each season: summer (based on British Summer Time) and winter.
Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority on Environmental Objectives Relating to the Exercise of its Air Navigation Functions
January 2014 1
8. Other relevant environmental issues
National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) 8.1 National Parks and AONB are designated areas with specific statutory
purposes to ensure their continued protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty.23 The statutory purposes of National Parks are to conserve and enhance their natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities by the public. The statutory purpose of AONB is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of their area. In exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in National Parks and AONB, the CAA is required to have regard to these statutory purposes under s.19 and Schedule 2 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982.24
8.2 Flights over National Parks and AONB are not prohibited by legislation as a general prohibition against over-flights would be impractical. Government policy will continue to focus on minimising the over-flight of more densely populated areas below 7,000 feet (amsl), but balanced with emissions between 4,000 and 7,000 feet (amsl), as set out in the altitude-based priorities in Chapter 4.1 of this Guidance. However, where it is practical to avoid over-flight of National Parks and AONB below 7,000 feet (amsl), the CAA should encourage this.
8.3 In line with the altitude-based priorities, the noise impact of flights above 7,000 feet (amsl) is unlikely to be significant and so no consultation is required on their noise impact at above this level.
Tranquillity8.4 Tranquillity is a subjective concept usually linked to engagement with the
natural environment. In 2007, the CPRE compiled a list of what the concept of tranquillity means to people and created a national tranquillity map for England.25 There is growing pressure to protect and preserve tranquil areas and the Government has recognised that a sense of tranquillity contributes to people’s enjoyment of the natural
23 A list of designated National Parks in the UK can be found at www.nationalparks.gov.uk. A list of designated AONB can be found at www.landscapesforlife.org.uk. 24 DEFRA, Duties on relevant authorities to have regard to the purposes of National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Guidance Note, 2005, http://archive.defra.gov.uk/rural/documents/protected/npaonb-duties-guide.pdf25 http://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-do/countryside/tranquil-places/in-depth/item/1688-how-we-mapped-tranquillity
30
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Noise quotas are assigned to aircraft based on the noise they create. The Quota Count (QC) classifications are as below:
Aircraft are classified separately for take-off and landing. The QC classifications of individual aircraft are published in the statutory notice.
The restrictions regime provides an exemption for certain aircraft from the requirements if their noise certification data is less than 84 effective perceived noise decibels (EPNdB).
The regime also allows a small degree of flexibility at the end of the season. That is, up to 10% of the current season’s movements limit may be carried over if sufficient amount of the limit is unused, and up to 10% of the next season’s movements limit may be anticipated in the event of an overrun. Any excess overrun is penalised in the following season at double the amount of the excess. The same arrangements apply to the noise quotas. The Secretary of State also has the power to specify circumstances in which movements can be disregarded from the restrictions by the airport managers. The airport companies may disregard night movement when there are delays to aircraft which are likely to lead to serious congestion at the aerodrome, serious hardship or suffering to passengers or animals and where there are delays to aircraft resulting from widespread and prolonged disruption of air traffic.
The permitted operations are:
• any aircraft which has a quota count of 4, 8, or 16 may not be scheduled to take off or land during the night quota period
• any aircraft which has a quota count of 8 or 16 may not be scheduled to take off or land during the night period
• any aircraft which has a quota count of 8 or 16 may not take off in the night period, except in the period 23:00 hours to 23:30 hours in circumstances where:
a. it was scheduled to take off prior to 23:00 hours
b. the take-off was delayed for reasons beyond the control of the aircraft operator
c. the airport authority has not given notice to the aircraft operator precluding take-off.
Gatwick Airport reports regularly to GATCOM and to the DfT on usage of the movements limits and the noise quotas, details of any dispensations or exemptions granted, and also on any movements by
Certified noise level (EPNdB)
Quota count
More than 101.9 QC/16
99 - 101.9 QC/8
96 - 98.9 QC/4
93 - 95.9 QC/2
90 - 92.9 QC/1
87 - 89.9 QC/0.5
84 - 86.9 QC/0.25
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QC/8 and QC/16 aircraft during the night period. All dispensations granted by the airport have to be reported to the DfT in writing within one week of the event occurring.
Noise preferential routings (NPRs)Aircraft departing Gatwick Airport are required to follow specific departure paths, or NPRs. However, ATC is permitted to direct aircraft off NPRs for safety reasons, including adverse weather conditions. NPRs were designed to avoid overflight of built-up areas where possible. Once aircraft reach an altitude of 4,000ft (or 3,000ft dependent on departure route and time) at any point along an NPR, they may be vectored off the route by ATC onto more direct headings to their destinations. (See Annex 6)
Noise limitsDuring the night quota period (23:30-06:00) the departure noise limit is 87 dB(A) Lmax. During the remainder of the night period (23:00-23:30 and 06:00-07:00), the noise limit is 89 dB(A). The limits apply at fixed noise monitors only. These night time limits are consistent with the night restrictions regime. There is also a daytime noise limit of 94 dB(A). Airlines whose aircraft breach the noise limits are fined by Gatwick Airport. There are no arrivals noise limits.
Ground noiseAircraft engine testing is controlled by Gatwick Airport Ltd and is also subject to stringent regulation in our Section 106 Legal Agreement. This is achieved by establishing and enforcing ground noise controls by way of Gatwick Airport Directives (GADs).
In the case of engine run-up restrictions, the GAD states that unless there are urgent operational reasons for engine testing to be carried out at night, ground running must be confined to the period 07:00-22:00 local time. There are additional restrictions regarding the running of auxiliary power units.
Noise monitoringGatwick Airport has a noise and track-keeping system, which takes radar data from ATC radars and combines it with flight information and data from both fixed and mobile noise monitors situated around the airport.
There are five fixed noise monitors around Gatwick (approximately 6.5km from either end of the runway) and six mobile noise monitors located in communities further away from the airport. The mobile noise monitors are deployed for periods of typically one year and are usually located in areas affected by inbound or outbound aircraft.
The mobile noise monitors allow Gatwick Airport to gain an understanding of the noise climate in a particular area and, in conjunction with the Gatwick Noise Monitoring Group, commission detailed noise studies by our independent acoustic specialists.
Noise Charges
Conditions of use and airport charges for Gatwick Airport are published every year in the Conditions of Use publication. The charge on landing is assessed and paid on the basis of the maximum total weight authorised (MTWA) as recorded by the airport companies on 01 April each year and are weighted according to their noise emissions. The base charge applies to jet aircraft over 16 tonnes, which meet the noise certification standards of ICAO Annex 16, Chapter 3. Aircraft which do not meet the requirements for Chapter 3 certification must pay an additional surcharge. Similarly, quieter aircraft (again certificated according to the ICAO Annex 16 Chapter system), are charged a reduced fee. The aim is to encourage operators to use the quietest possible fleet. Full details can be found on our website athttp://www.gatwickairport.com/PublicationFiles/business_and_community/all_public_publications/2013/conditions_of_use_2013-14.pdf
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6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
A brief summary of the charging structure for summer 2013 is set out in the table below.
Stakeholder engagementIn addition to the above measures, Gatwick Airport also regularly engages with stakeholders including airlines, NATS, local communities, local authorities and government bodies. This is done through various engagement forums such as NATMAG (now includes the Ground Noise Committee), GATCOM Steering Group, GATCOM, Section 106 Steering Group, ad-hoc Pilots Forum, and the Gatwick Noise Monitoring Group
Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee (ANMAC)ANMAC was setup by the Government in the early 1990s to advise them on the operation of the noise monitoring equipment which the former owner of Gatwick Airport had been required to install by the DfT under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. Since then the committee has been used as an advisory body on various noise issues.
Membership includes representatives from NATS, the Environmental Research and Consultancy Division (ERCD) of the CAA, the scheduling committees and their technical advisers, Gatwick Airport Limited, representatives from Heathrow and Stansted airports and a representative and technical adviser from the consultative committees of the three main London airports (LHR, LGW & STN). The committee is chaired by the head of the Environment Division at the DfT.
Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM)GATCOM was established in 1956. It is a statutory advisory body constituted by Gatwick Airport Limited in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (as amended by the Airports Act 1986). The purpose of GATCOM is to advise the Airport’s Chief Executive and his management team about issues which concern the local communities, travellers, businesses and other users of the airport and to stimulate interest both within the airport community and local people. Its primary objective is to ensure the future success of Gatwick providing high quality
Charging Category
Charge Levied
Category definition
Chapter 3 base
Base charge
Jet aircraft over 16 metric tonnes which meet the noise certification standards of ICAO Annex 16 Chapter 3.
Non chapter 3 aircraft
Base chargeplus 300%
Aircraft who fail to meet Chapter 3 noise certification standards as a minimum or any non certificated aircraft.
Chapter 3 high Base charge plus 150%
Aircraft with summed certificated noise levels within 5EPNdB of the summed Chapter 3 noise certification standards.
Chapter 3 minus
Base charge minus 10%
Jet and non jet aircraft in excess of 16 tonnes which on both arrival and departure have a quota count of 1 or less.
Chapter 4 Base charge minus 15%
Jet and non-jet aircraft over 16 metric tonnes which meet the noise certification standards of ICAO Annex 16 Chapter 4.
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6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
services to passengers and airlines, having particular regard to the impact this has on the surrounding communities.
It has 28 appointed representatives from a wide range of interests including local authorities, civil aviation, passenger, business, tourism and community and environmental groups. A Government representative is also present at the main Committee meetings, together with Gatwick Airport Limited’s Chief Executive and his senior management team.
Gatwick Airport meets a statutory obligation by consulting with the committee. GATCOM meets four times a year and is a public forum. It considers issues and questions in connection with the operation and development of Gatwick and its effect on local communities, passengers, airlines and other users of the airport.
Noise and Track Keeping Working Group (NATMAG)NATMAG is a group set up by Gatwick Airport comprising local community representatives, air traffic control and airport personnel. It oversees the operation of the Gatwick Airport Ltd’s Flight Performance Team systems to ensure that the requirements of the local community are taken into account in respect of the production of statistics, information and complaint handling. It also advises Gatwick on issues relating to noise and track monitoring which derive from the results obtained from the monitoring equipment and assists the airport in seeking improvements to the noise climate and track-keeping performance around Gatwick. It then reports on these issues to GATCOM.
Flight Operations Performance & Safety Committee (FLOPSC)FLOPSC is an internal committee of Gatwick Airport. Its membership comprises senior pilots, NATS and Gatwick Airport’s Airside Operations Team and members from the Flight Performance Team. It reviews noise, track and CDA performance, shares best
practice and also advises on noise abatement procedures. A key message(s) from FLOPSC is presented at each NATMAG.
Accessing information
Flight Performance Team (FPT)(Formerly known as the Flight Evaluation Unit - FEU) Gatwick Airport monitors compliance with the various noise control measures detailed in the AIP or locally and handles noise queries and complaints through the Flight Performance Team. This responds to all queries/complaints and provides statistics to DfT and GATCOM (see action 32)
ReportingThe FPT produces an annual report which provides information on performance against noise control measures. Detailed within this revised action plan is our ongoing intention to publish quarterly FPT update reports on our website. We have also recently updated our communication literature and website based material. We also include a summary of our activity in relation to noise management as part of our annual Section 106 annual monitoring report and Decade of Change report. Both these are available on our website. In addition we report regularly to the DfT, airlines and NATS as well as at NATMAG and GATCOM meetings.
Industry groups
Airports Council InternationalACI pursues airports interests in discussions with international organisations. The most important relationship is with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), where international standards for air transport are debated and developed. ACI defends airport’s positions and develops standards and recommended practices in the areas of safety, security and environment. It also advances and protects airport interests in policy changes on airport charges and regulation, strengthening the hand of airports in dealing with airlines. Gatwick Airport’s
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6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
recent membership of ACI gives us the opportunity to encourage the exchange of knowledge between European airports to share best practice and influence policy changes.
Sustainable AviationGatwick Airport is a signatory to Sustainable Aviation, a long term strategy which sets out the collective approach of UK aviation to tackling the challenge of ensuring a sustainable future for our industry. A world-first, Sustainable Aviation was launched in 2005 and brings together the main players from UK airlines, airports, manufacturers and air navigation service providers.
Sustainable Aviation is unique in the UK transport sector in representing a proactive coalition of airlines, airports, engine and airframe manufacturers and air traffic management, and established specifically to address sustainability issues. It is entirely focused on finding collaborative ways of improving our environmental performance and ensuring sustainable growth.
The Goals of Sustainable Aviation are:
• Social & Economic: A competitive aviation industry making a positive contribution to the UK economy and meeting the needs of society for air transport, whilst maintaining constructive relationships with stakeholders.
• Climate Change: Aviation incorporated into a robust global policy framework that achieves stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous man-made interference with the climate system.
• Noise: Limit and, where possible, reduce the impact of aircraft noise.
• Local Air Quality: Industry to play its full part in improving air quality around airports.
• Surface Access: Industry playing its full part in an efficient, sustainable multi-modal UK transport system.
• Natural Resources: Environmental footprint of UK aviation’s ground-based non-aircraft activities is contained through effective engagement and reduction measures.
• Implementation: Full industry commitment to sustainable development and communicating fully the role of aviation in society in order to support a better understanding of its contributions
Key outputs relative to aircraft noise have been the Departures and Arrivals Codes of Practice and the Sustainable Aviation Noise Road-Map.
The Noise Road-Map which sets out how we believe aircraft noise impacts can be reduced between now and 2050.
Key Points from the Noise Road-Map are:
• New aircraft typically produce half the noise of those they are replacing
• Growth in aircraft movements between now and 2050 can be achieved without increasing UK aviation noise
• SA and the wider UK aviation industry are committed to developing ways to reduce the number of people affected by aircraft noise
• Individuals’ reaction to aircraft noise is complex and requires greater understanding
• SA calls for sustained Government support in improving land use planning controls around airports, progressing research and technology and developing new noise metrics and communication tools
• The opportunities developed in this Road-Map will now be adapted into UK airport Noise Action Plans
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6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
The Noise Challenge in reducing the number of people affected by aircraft noise
Three key conclusions arise from this diagram.
1. The number of people impacted by each variable is not consistent, for instance a loud aircraft event on a windy morning generally results in fewer people annoyed than the same aircraft event on a still, foggy morning.
2. While the aviation industry can take direct control of some of the variables, it has only indirect influence over others and no control at all over the remainder.
3. Research is required to understand in more detail the specific weighting and interrelationships each of the variables has on the final result.
The following figure illustrates how the introduction of imminent and future aircraft and engine technology offers the potential to reduce UK aviation noise output by 2050 compared to 2010. Without this technology, given the forecast growth in demand for air transport, UK aviation’s noise output would almost double
The graph above shows an aggregated UK picture of noise output and how this is predicted to change between 2010 and 2050. The graph is not airport specific and cannot be read as the projection of noise output for any particular airport. This will depend on the aircraft types and rates of penetration of newer aircraft at individual airports.
Further improvements can be achieved through the wider implementation of operational improvements in the use of airspace and flying techniques and through better land use planning in the immediate vicinity of airports.
Developing the tools discussed in this Road-Map will require wide collaboration, co-ordinating efforts across the UK aviation industry, local and national Government and national and local community groups.
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 35 Noise action plan
Responding to this, the SA signatory companies make the following commitments:
• SA members will use this Road-Map to develop best practice noise management strategies for the future.
• The Aerospace sector will continue to invest in aircraft technology research programmes.
• The Aerospace sector will work to achieve the visionary noise goals of Flightpath 2050 and CLEEN.
• The industry will increase the use of existing operational techniques that reduce noise where safe and feasible.
• The industry will collaborate to explore and develop new operational techniques that reduce noise where safe and feasible.
• The industry will actively contribute to improving aircraft noise guidance in local planning policy
• Airports will review masterplans to ensure they are consistent with Noise Action Plans
• Airports will work with Government, local authorities and local communities to achieve identified land use planning improvements
• The industry will promote open and transparent engagement with communities affected by noise, to better understand their concerns and priorities and to establish trust in the engagement process.
• The industry will ensure that any changes to noise impacts or noise mitigation efforts are clearly communicated through agreed channels in a timely and non-technical manner.
• The industry will present the best practice engagement mechanisms from the Road-Map to local stakeholders through channels such as consultative committees to help airport operators better evaluate their engagement techniques.
The industry will work with Government and other stakeholders to identify and resolve research gaps in:
how the variables in the ‘Noise Challenge’ diagram are weighted and consult on whether a more accurate model can be developed to predict the number of people annoyed by aircraft noise under various ‘what if’ scenarios;
• understanding of individual reactions to aircraft noise;
• noise acceptability vs. noise annoyance; and
• a basis for better noise metrics.
SA will use this Road-Map to develop action plans, ensure we deliver to our commitments and continue to expand and improve on our existing noise management practices. Action plans will be on two separate scales:
• Noise Road-Map Delivery Action Plan – Developed by SA members to monitor and manage common industry actions.
• SA Member Specific Action Plan Developed for specific airlines and airport sites with their relevant stakeholder groups to incorporate the principles defined in this Road-Map into existing noise strategies such as airport Noise Action Plans or similar.
Website and online flight trackingDetailed information relating to aircraft noise is available on our website. This has links to various reports, minutes from NATMAG and fact sheets dealing with ground noise, aircraft overflight and night flights.
A further facility on the website is our flight tracking tool. This has recently been upgraded and is an online self-service enquiry system showing Gatwick aircraft flight tracks, heights and aircraft types. By using this facility it is possible to see where planes are flying in relation to where you live or work. Additionally, there is the facility to make specific enquiries through the website.
6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited36 Noise action plan
6 GATWICK AIRPORT’S FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE MANAGEMENT
This facility has a delay of approximately 20 minutes to allow for data processing.
Complaint handling serviceGatwick Airport’s FPT registers and investigates all complaints received in line with our stated complaint handling policy.
Relevant information to help understanding of the issue is offered but the FPT will not repeatedly supply the same or similar information or substantial amounts of data, or undertake extensive data gathering exercises in individual cases.
This allows the FPT to concentrate on performance monitoring and overall studies with the aim of providing useful information about what, if any, improvements might be possible.
The FPT also continuously monitors overall performance, for example track keeping and CDA. This is not dependent on receipt of complaints.
Where there appears to be something unusual occurring it is investigated and the data is used to continue to work proactively with the airline community to enhance performance overall. See Annex 4 for complaint data.
Website and online flight trackingDetailed information relating to aircraft noise is available on our website. This has links to various reports, minutes from NATMAG and fact sheets dealing with ground noise, aircraft overflight and night flights.
A further facility on the website is our flight tracking tool. This has recently been upgraded and is an online self-service enquiry system showing Gatwick aircraft flight tracks, heights and aircraft types. By using this facility it is possible to see where planes are flying in relation to where you live or work. Additionally, there is the facility to make specific enquiries through the website. This facility has a delay of approximately 20 minutes to allow for data processing.
The flight tracking facility can be accessed at: http://flighttracking.casper.aero/lgw/
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 37 Noise action plan
7 RESULTS OF THE 2012 NOISE MAPPING
Gatwick Airport has, for many years, had an extensive noise management regime and annually produced summer LAeq 16 hour day contours. Therefore, the results of the 2012 noise mapping of 2011 do not raise any significant new issues. Traditionally our approach to noise management has contained actions aimed at addressing areas outside of these contours and, additionally, ground noise. As stated above, the actions contained within this revised plan will continue to adopt this approach.
The location of Gatwick Airport and the alignment of the main and standby runways mean that aircraft arrive and depart mostly over lightly populated rural areas. The alignment of the main runway means that residents of areas such as Lingfield to the east of the airport and Okewood Hill to the west are impacted by the airport’s operation. Gatwick Airport has witnessed steady growth over recent decades, handling approximately 240,000 runway movements in 2012 compared to 220,000 in 1996.
The prevalence of westerly winds means that approximately 70% of aircraft arrivals come from the east and around 70% of departures are to the west however this figure does fluctuate.
There are four departure routes (noise preferential routes - NPRs) to the east of Gatwick and five to the west. The Lden maps indicate the impact of these NPRs particularly to the west where the departure routes form a spur in the 55dB Lden contour over Capel and the surrounding area.
For aircraft arriving at Gatwick the contour is influenced by arrivals from the east where the 55dB Lden contour extends over Marsh Green.
The impact of departures is less marked on the Lnight contour map reflecting that the night period typically consists of scheduled arrivals.
Detailed overleaf, and in Annex 3, are the results of the 2012 noise mapping showing the estimated number of people and dwellings exposed above various noise levels. This data has been sourced directly from the data pack provided to us by DEFRA and with reference to ERCD Report 1205 – Strategic Noise Maps for Gatwick Airport 2011. We have included data from Lday, Levening, Lnight, Lden and Leq noise contours. We considered these results and our current noise mitigation measures in revising this noise action plan.
The number of dwellings has been rounded to the nearest 50, except when the number of dwellings is greater than zero but less than 50, in which case the total has been shown as ‘<50’. The associated population has been rounded to the nearest 100, except when the associated population is greater than zero but less than 100, in which case the total has been shown as ‘<100’.
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7 RESULTS OF THE 2012 NOISE MAPPING
Noise leveldb (A)
Dwellings People
≥54 3,550 8,700
≥57 1,200 2,800
≥60 500 1,200
≥63 200 500
≥66 100 200
≥69 <50 <100
Table 1Estimated total number of people and dwellings within Gatwick Airport 12 hour day Lday noise contoursSource: DEFRA 2013Noise Mapping Data Pack
Table 3Estimated total number of people and dwellings within Gatwick Airport 8 hour Lnight noise contours. See Annex 3, Map 2Source: DEFRA 2013Noise Mapping Data Pack
Noise leveldb (A)
Dwellings People
≥48 2,950 7,200
≥51 1,250 2,900
≥54 450 1,000
≥57 200 500
≥60 100 200
≥63 <50 <100
≥66 0 0
Noise leveldb (A)
Dwellings People
≥54 2,600 6,400
≥57 750 1,800
≥60 300 700
≥63 150 400
≥66 <50 100
≥69 0 0
Table 2Estimated total number of people and dwellings within Gatwick Airport 4 hour Levening noise contoursSource: DEFRA 2013Noise Mapping Data Pack
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7 RESULTS OF THE 2012 NOISE MAPPING
Table 4Estimated total number of people and dwellings within Gatwick Airport 24 hour Lden noise contours. See Annex 3, Map 1Source: DEFRA 2013Noise Mapping Data Pack & ERCD Report 1205
Noise leveldb (A)
Dwellings Area (km2) People
≥55 4,500 85.6 11,300
≥60 850 31.9 2,000
≥65 200 11.9 500
≥70 <50 4.1 <100
≥75 0 1.5 0
Table 5Estimated total number of people and dwellings within Gatwick Airport annual 16 hour day LAeq 16 hour noise contours.Source: DEFRA 2013Noise Mapping Data Pack
The previous noise mapping from 2006 is provided within Appendix 12 for the purposes of comparison.
Noise leveldb (A)
Dwellings People
≥54 3,300 8,100
≥57 1,050 2,500
≥60 450 1,100
≥63 200 500
≥66 50 200
≥69 <50 <100
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 41 Noise action plan
8 EVALUATING THE NOISE ACTION PLAN
Performance indicators for our action planWe will use a set of performance indicators to monitor and assess the effectiveness of our plan.
The full range of indicators is set out in the noise action plan in Section nine. Our performance against these indicators will be regularly reviewed internally through our environmental governance structure. We will also report on progress against these in our annual S.106 Annual Monitoring Report.
During the five year period of this action plan, we may add to or amend the range of performance indicators to respond to improvements which enable us to better manage airport noise impacts. From time to time we may set an annual target against one or more of the performance indicators and include this in our annual reporting.
Set out below is a series of key performance indicators which we propose to publish annually through our S.106 , Decade of Change and/or Flight Performance Team reports.
We have included figures for 2006 and 2011 against our performance indicators, in order to set a baseline for the future and to monitor progress.
Key performance indicator 2006 baseline 2011 baseline
Percentage of Chapter 4 (or equivalent) aircraft 3% 99.3%
Area inside the 55dBA Lden contour (km2) 94.5km2 85.6km2
Area inside the 48dBA LAeq 6.5 hour night-time(winter & summer seasons combined) contour (km2)
41.3km2
*2002-3 figure34.1km2
*2011-2 figure
Area inside the 57dB LAeq 16 hour daytime summer contour (km2)
46.7km2 41.2km2
Average quota count of aircraft operating during the night quota period (2330-0600)
0.82Winter 2005/6
0.71Summer 2006
0.65Winter 2011/12
0.51Summer 2012
Number of infringements of the daytime departure noise limitNumber of infringements of the shoulder and night period
92
04
Percentage of aircraft achieving a CDA (24 hour period) 81.0% 90.5%
Percentage of aircraft on-track (all routes) 98.2% 97.4%
Number of individual callers making noise related enquiries 794 345
Percentage of noise related enquiries responded to within eight working days
94.5% 95.7%
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 43 Noise action plan
8 EVALUATING THE NOISE ACTION PLAN
As a way of measuring the success of the revised noise action plan we have identified a number of expected outcomes. These are also set out below:
• No operations in 2015 by marginally compliant Chapter 3 aircraft (Chapter 3 high).
• At least 83% of aircraft movements by Chapter 4 or equivalent aircraft by 2015.
• Performance against the noise abatement procedures in the UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) will consistently be maintained and where practicable improved against a 2006 baseline.
• No daytime infringements against 94dB(A) daytime departure noise limit.
• We will be routinely reporting noise impacts using alternative metrics.
• The 48dB(A) 6.5 hour Leq night contour (winter/summer combined) will be within 47km2.
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited44 Noise action plan
Over the following pages are the individual actions that make up this Noise Action Plan.
The majority of these are carried over from the original Noise Action Plan as these remain valid and are therefore deemed to be ‘ongoing’.
There are also new actions, and these are highlighted in yellow. Completed actions are annotated accordingly and these have been included in this revised Noise Action Plan for the purposes of completeness. One action has been removed and merged into another action plan action. A further number of action plan actions have been amended, taking into account developments within the business.
A full breakdown of the new, closed, removed and amended actions are detailed on pages 10 – 11.
9 OUR NOISE ACTION PLAN
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r p
assi
ng o
ver
the
Fue
l tan
k P
ress
ure
Eq
ualis
atio
n V
ents
.
Arr
ival
s,
Dep
artu
res
2015
Po
siti
ve a
irlin
e re
spo
nses
rec
eive
dIn
exc
ess
of
11,3
00
Qui
etes
t p
ract
icab
le a
ircr
aft
oper
atio
ns, b
alan
ced
ag
ains
t N
Ox a
nd C
O2 e
mis
sion
s
5. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
pro
mo
te a
dhe
renc
e to
the
AC
OP
and
in p
arti
cula
r th
e ac
hiev
emen
t o
f C
DA
s th
roug
h fo
rum
s su
ch a
s F
LOP
C, t
he G
atw
ick
Air
po
rt P
ilots
Fo
rum
, Sus
tain
able
Avi
atio
n an
d
oth
er c
om
mun
icat
ion
even
ts.
Arr
ival
sO
n-g
oin
gIm
pro
ving
CD
Ap
erfo
rman
ce s
tati
stic
sIn
exc
ess
of
11,3
00
6. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
pro
mo
te, m
oni
tor,
seek
to
imp
rove
and
rep
ort
on
adhe
renc
e to
the
d
epar
ture
no
ise
abat
emen
t p
roce
dur
es d
etai
led
in t
he G
atw
ick
AIP
. The
det
ail o
f th
is is
d
escr
ibed
wit
hin
the
mai
n b
od
y o
f th
is d
ocu
men
t.D
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oin
gP
erfo
rman
ce tr
acke
d th
roug
hq
uart
erly
FP
T re
por
ts a
ndN
ATM
AG
min
utes
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
7. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
pro
mo
te, m
oni
tor,
seek
to
imp
rove
and
rep
ort
on
adhe
renc
e to
the
arr
ival
no
ise
abat
emen
t p
roce
dur
es d
etai
led
in t
he G
atw
ick
AIP
. See
sec
tio
n si
x.A
rriv
als
On-
go
ing
Per
form
ance
tra
cked
thro
ugh
qua
rter
ly F
PT
rep
ort
s
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited46 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
esca
leP
erfo
rman
ce
ind
icat
orN
umb
ers
affec
ted
8. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
ad
min
iste
r th
e D
fT n
ight
res
tric
tio
ns r
egim
e an
d e
nsur
e th
at t
he n
umb
er o
f o
per
atio
ns a
t ni
ght
is w
ithi
n th
e lim
its
pre
scri
bed
. We
will
als
o b
e ac
tive
ly in
volv
ed in
the
Go
vern
men
t ni
ght
no
ise
cons
ulta
tio
n in
20
10.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oing
Sea
sona
l nig
ht
quo
tare
po
rts
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
9. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
mo
nito
r ad
here
nce
to a
nd r
evie
w t
he e
ffec
tive
ness
of
our
gro
und
no
ise
op
erat
iona
l co
ntro
ls.
The
cur
rent
co
ntro
ls a
re s
et o
ut b
elo
w.
• A
ircr
aft
eng
ine
test
ing
. To
ens
ure
that
the
env
iro
nmen
tal i
mp
act
of
airc
raft
eng
ine
runn
ing
on
th
e lo
cal c
om
mun
ity
is k
ept
to a
min
imum
, air
craf
t o
per
ato
rs w
ith
mai
nten
ance
co
mm
itm
ents
at
the
airp
ort
are
exp
ecte
d t
o p
lan
thei
r sc
hed
ule
to a
void
the
nee
d f
or
gro
und
run
ning
of
eng
ines
at
nig
ht.
Nig
ht f
or
thes
e p
urp
ose
s is
defi
ned
as
the
per
iod
bet
wee
n 22
:00
- 0
7:0
0 lo
cal t
ime.
(A
ircr
aft
eng
ine
test
ing
is a
lso
sub
ject
to
co
ntro
ls in
our
20
08
Sec
tio
n 10
6 L
egal
Ag
reem
ent)
•
Use
of
Gro
und
Po
wer
Uni
ts (
GP
U).
The
pla
cing
of
GP
U o
n st
and
s w
itho
ut p
rio
r p
erm
issi
on
will
no
t b
e al
low
ed. P
erm
issi
on
will
onl
y b
e g
rant
ed if
:
•
The
re is
no
fixe
d e
lect
rica
l gro
und
po
wer
uni
t (F
EG
P)
inst
alle
d o
n th
e st
and
.
•
The
FE
GP
whi
ch h
as b
een
inst
alle
d a
t th
e st
and
is t
emp
ora
rily
out
of
serv
ice:
or
•
The
rel
evan
t ai
rcra
ft is
inca
pab
le o
f ut
ilisi
ng F
EG
P b
y re
aso
n o
f d
esig
n o
r a
tech
nica
l m
alfu
ncti
on
or
the
po
wer
so
sup
plie
d is
insu
ffici
ent
for
the
airc
raft
.
• Li
mit
atio
ns o
n th
e us
e o
f au
xilia
ry p
ow
er u
nits
(A
PU
). T
he p
urp
ose
of
this
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
d
irec
tive
is t
o r
educ
e ai
rcra
ft r
elat
ed n
ois
e an
d e
mis
sio
ns b
y lim
itin
g t
he u
se o
f th
e A
PU
und
er
cert
ain
cond
itio
ns o
n ar
riva
l and
dep
artu
re f
rom
sta
nd a
t G
atw
ick
Air
po
rt.
Gro
und
On-
goi
ng
Air
sid
e O
per
atio
ns
qua
rter
ly r
evie
w
stat
isti
cs r
epo
rted
at
the
No
ise
& T
rack
M
oni
tori
ng A
dvi
sory
G
roup
und
er t
he
Gro
und
No
ise
stan
din
g a
gen
da
item
.
500
10. I
n co
njun
ctio
n w
ith
our
par
tner
s in
Sus
tain
able
Avi
atio
n w
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
lob
by
for
and
see
k to
su
pp
ort
co
ntin
ual i
mp
rove
men
ts in
tec
hno
log
y an
d o
per
atio
ns t
ow
ard
s th
e A
CA
RE
go
al o
f 50
%
red
ucti
on
in p
erce
ived
ext
erna
l no
ise
by
2020
bas
ed o
n ne
w a
ircr
aft
of
2020
rel
ativ
e to
eq
uiva
lent
ne
w a
ircr
aft
in 2
00
0.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Pro
gre
ss t
ow
ard
s g
oal
s re
po
rted
in
Sus
tain
able
Avi
atio
n
bi-
annu
al r
epo
rt
In e
xces
s o
f11
,30
0
10. a
) W
e re
-affi
rm o
ur s
upp
ort
of
the
rece
ntly
pub
lishe
d S
A N
ois
e R
oad
-Map
and
co
mm
it t
o w
ork
ing
w
ith
SA
dur
ing
the
per
iod
20
13 -
2018
to
dev
elo
p a
nd p
ublis
h an
imp
lem
enta
tio
n p
lan.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Pub
licat
ion
of
the
imp
lem
enta
tio
n
pla
n
In e
xces
s o
f11
,30
0
11. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
fine
air
craf
t in
bre
ach
of
the
DfT
dep
artu
re n
ois
e lim
its,
and
we
will
see
k to
in
crea
se t
he fi
ning
leve
ls w
ith
the
aim
of
pen
alis
ing
rep
eat
off
end
ers
or
dep
artu
re n
ois
e in
frin
gem
ents
in
20
10 a
nd r
evie
w le
vels
eve
ry fi
ve y
ears
.D
epar
ture
s
2015
D
fT r
eque
sted
in
2010
. No
res
po
nse
rece
ived
. No
w
bei
ng a
dd
ress
ed
thro
ugh
an
AN
MA
C
sub
-gro
up.
Num
ber
of
nois
ein
frin
gem
ents
2,0
00
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 47 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
e sc
ale
Per
form
ance
in
dic
ator
Num
ber
saff
ecte
d
12. W
e w
ill w
ork
wit
h o
ur p
artn
ers
in S
usta
inab
le A
viat
ion
to d
evel
op
and
pro
mo
te lo
w n
ois
e fli
ght
p
roce
dur
es t
hro
ugh
eval
uati
on
of
futu
re o
per
atio
nal m
etho
ds
and
imp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f b
est
pra
ctic
e, e
g,
eval
uati
ng t
he f
easi
bili
ty o
f in
tro
duc
ing
a s
teep
er a
pp
roac
h as
par
t o
f an
inte
rnat
iona
l ini
tiat
ive.
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
will
imp
lem
ent
any
reco
mm
end
atio
ns r
esul
ting
fro
m f
easi
bili
ty s
tud
ies
in c
onj
unct
ion
wit
h th
e C
AA
an
d t
he D
fT a
s an
d w
hen
they
are
rel
ease
d.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Pro
gre
ss r
epo
rted
inS
usta
inab
le
Avi
atio
n’s
bi-
annu
al r
epo
rt
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
13. I
n co
njun
ctio
n w
ith
our
air
line
par
tner
s an
d N
AT
S w
e w
ill u
nder
take
a r
evie
w in
20
10 o
f o
ur s
tand
p
lann
ing
pro
ced
ures
to
iden
tify
any
op
po
rtun
itie
s to
pri
ori
tise
sta
nd a
lloca
tio
n so
as
to m
inim
ise
gro
und
no
ise
imp
acts
.G
roun
d20
10C
om
ple
ted
A
ll st
and
s ar
e eq
uip
ped
wit
h
fixed
ele
ctri
cal g
roun
d p
ow
er
500
Eff
ecti
ve a
nd c
red
ible
noi
se m
itig
atio
n sc
hem
es
14. W
e w
ill m
ake
a fin
anci
al c
ont
rib
utio
n to
war
ds
the
aco
usti
c in
sula
tio
n al
l elig
ible
pro
per
ties
wit
hin
th
e b
oun
dar
y o
f o
ur n
ew r
esid
enti
al n
ois
e in
sula
tio
n sc
hem
e. T
his
is s
ched
uled
fo
r la
unch
in J
anua
ry
2014
and
ben
efits
fro
m a
larg
er s
chem
e b
oun
dar
y th
an in
pre
vio
us s
chem
es.
Com
mun
ity n
oise
miti
gat
ion
initi
ativ
e20
18N
umb
er o
f ap
plic
atio
ns
rece
ived
and
p
rop
erti
es in
sula
ted
.3,
200
15.
We
will
req
uest
tha
t th
e D
fT r
evie
w a
nd e
xplo
re in
co
njun
ctio
n w
ith
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
the
po
ssib
ility
o
f up
dat
ing
the
cur
rent
dep
artu
re n
ois
e lim
its.
Dep
artu
res
2010
Co
mp
lete
dD
fT r
eque
sted
in 2
010
. N
o r
esp
ons
e re
ceiv
ed. N
ow
b
eing
ad
dre
ssed
thr
oug
h an
A
NM
AC
sub
-gro
up.
2,0
00
16. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
off
er h
ous
eho
lds
sub
ject
to
hig
h le
vels
of
nois
e (6
9d
B(A
) L e
q o
r m
ore
) as
sist
ance
wit
h th
e co
sts
of
relo
cati
ng
Co
mm
unit
y no
ise
mit
igat
ion
init
iati
ve
On-
goi
ng
No
. of
elig
ible
app
licat
ions
re
ceiv
ing
assi
stan
ce
<10
0
17.
We
will
req
uest
tha
t th
e D
fT r
evie
w a
nd e
xplo
re in
co
njun
ctio
n w
ith
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
the
po
ssib
ility
o
f up
dat
ing
the
cur
rent
nig
ht d
epar
ture
no
ise
limit
s.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
2010
Co
mp
lete
dD
fT r
eque
sted
in 2
010
. N
o r
esp
ons
e re
ceiv
ed. N
ow
b
eing
ad
dre
ssed
thr
oug
h an
A
NM
AC
sub
-gro
up.
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
18. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
off
er a
cous
tic
insu
lati
on
to o
ther
no
ise
sens
itiv
e b
uild
ing
s su
ch a
s sc
hoo
ls a
nd
hosp
ital
s, e
xpo
sed
to
med
ium
to
hig
h le
vels
of
nois
e (6
3dB
(A)
L eq
or
mo
re)
Co
mm
unit
y no
ise
mit
igat
ion
init
iati
ve
On-
goi
ngN
o. o
f el
igib
le n
ois
ese
nsit
ive
bui
ldin
gre
ceiv
ing
ass
ista
nce
39 p
ublic
b
uild
ing
s,(s
cho
ols
, ca
reho
mes
, ho
spit
als
etc.
)
19.
We
will
req
uest
tha
t th
e D
fT r
evie
w c
urre
nt a
irsp
ace
utili
sati
on
aro
und
Gat
wic
k.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
2010
Co
mp
lete
dD
fT r
eque
sted
in 2
010
. N
o r
esp
ons
e re
ceiv
ed.
No
te: L
ond
on
Air
spac
e C
ons
ulta
tio
n P
hase
1 la
unch
ed
Oct
ob
er 2
013
– J
anua
ry 2
014
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited48 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
e sc
ale
Per
form
ance
in
dic
ator
Num
ber
saff
ecte
d
19.
a) W
e w
ill e
xplo
re t
he f
easi
bili
ty o
f p
rovi
din
g ‘r
ota
ting
res
pit
e’ t
o t
hose
co
mm
unit
ies
affec
ted
by
nois
e fr
om
arr
ivin
g a
ircr
aft.
Arr
ival
s20
14R
epo
rt fi
ndin
gs
fro
m t
rial
un
der
take
n to
exp
lore
th
e p
oss
ibili
ty o
f su
ch a
n
init
iati
ve
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
19.
b)
In c
onj
unct
ion
wit
h th
e Lo
ndo
n A
irsp
ace
Man
agem
ent
Pro
gra
mm
e w
e w
ill e
xplo
re in
nova
tive
ne
w m
etho
ds
to c
ont
rol b
oth
inb
oun
d a
nd o
utb
oun
d a
ircr
aft
to s
triv
e fo
r o
per
atio
nal b
est
pra
ctic
e w
ith
a vi
ew t
o m
inim
isin
g t
heir
imp
act
on
the
com
mun
itie
s b
elo
w.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
s20
14
Out
com
es f
rom
the
Lo
ndo
n A
irsp
ace
Man
agem
ent
Pro
gra
mm
e
No
t K
now
n
19.
c) W
e w
ill c
ons
ult
app
rop
riat
ely
in r
esp
ect
of
acti
ons
19 a
& b
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
2014
Pro
of
of
app
rop
riat
e le
vels
of
cons
ulta
tio
nN
ot
kno
wn
19.
d)
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
Ltd
will
wri
te t
o t
he D
fT r
eque
stin
g r
esea
rch
be
und
erta
ken
to f
ully
und
erst
and
th
e eff
ects
of
airc
raft
ion
hum
an h
ealt
h.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
d20
18O
utco
me
fro
m D
fTIn
exc
ess
of
11,3
00
20. T
o a
dd
ress
the
imp
acts
of
futu
re g
row
th w
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
off
er a
cous
tic
insu
lati
on
to a
ny
resi
den
tial
pro
per
ty w
hich
suff
ers
fro
m a
med
ium
to
hig
h le
vel o
f no
ise
(66
dB
(A)
L eq
or
mo
re)
and
a la
rge
incr
ease
in n
ois
e (3
dB
(A)
L eq
or
mo
re)
Co
mm
unit
y no
ise
mit
igat
ion
init
iati
ve
On-
goi
ngN
umb
er o
f p
rop
erti
eso
ffer
ed a
ssis
tanc
eN
ot
Kno
wn
21. T
o a
dd
ress
the
imp
acts
of
futu
re g
row
th w
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
off
er t
o p
urch
ase
tho
se p
rop
erti
es
suff
erin
g f
rom
bo
th a
hig
h le
vel o
f no
ise
(63d
B(A
) L e
q o
r m
ore
) an
d a
larg
e in
crea
se in
no
ise
(3d
B(A
) L e
q o
r m
ore
), In
acc
ord
ance
wit
h th
e T
erm
s o
f R
efer
ence
of
the
pro
per
ty m
arke
t su
pp
ort
b
ond
and
ho
me
ow
ners
sup
po
rt s
chem
e.
Co
mm
unit
y no
ise
mit
igat
ion
Init
iati
ve
On-
goi
ngN
umb
er o
f p
rop
erti
eso
ffer
ed a
ssis
tanc
e
In e
xces
s o
f 6
00
22. W
e w
ill u
nder
take
and
pub
lish
a fe
asib
ility
stu
dy
to a
sses
s th
e p
ote
ntia
l eco
nom
ic a
nd
envi
ronm
enta
l co
sts
and
ben
efits
of
op
erat
ing
a r
unw
ay p
refe
renc
e b
y th
e en
d o
f 20
10.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
d20
10
Co
mp
lete
d
Stu
dy
com
mis
sio
ned
in 2
010
, p
rese
nted
to
NA
TM
AG
and
p
ublis
hed
.
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
23. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
eng
age
wit
h o
ur a
viat
ion
par
tner
s th
roug
h F
LOP
SC
to
see
k to
imp
rove
ad
here
nce
to t
he A
IP.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oing
FLO
PS
C A
ctio
n
Tra
cker
and
AIP
ad
here
nce
rate
s
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
24. W
e w
ill d
evel
op
a s
trat
egy
to m
inim
ise
AP
U u
se in
ord
er t
o r
educ
e g
roun
d n
ois
e an
d lo
cal a
ir
qua
lity
emis
sio
ns, a
nd r
epla
ce w
ith
and
ro
ll o
ut t
hro
ugh
2010
. Im
pac
ts w
ill b
e re
view
ed o
n an
an
nual
bas
is.
Gro
und
On-
goi
ngIs
sue
of
stra
teg
yIs
sue
of
GA
Ds
500
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 49 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
e sc
ale
Per
form
ance
ind
icat
orN
umb
ers
affec
ted
Eng
agem
ent
wit
h co
mm
unit
ies
affec
ted
by
nois
e im
pac
ts t
o b
ette
r un
der
stan
d t
heir
con
cern
s an
d p
rior
itie
s,
refl
ecti
ng t
hem
as
far
as p
ossi
ble
in a
irp
ort
nois
e st
rate
gie
s an
d c
omm
unic
atio
n p
lans
25. W
e w
ill p
ublis
h ea
ch q
uart
er o
n o
ur w
ebsi
te t
he le
vel o
f ad
here
nce
wit
h th
e no
ise
abat
emen
t p
roce
dur
es in
the
Gat
wic
k A
IP.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oing
Pub
lish
rep
ort
on
web
site
hig
hlig
htin
gp
erfo
rman
ceN
/A
26. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
kee
p a
bre
ast
of
go
vern
men
t re
sear
ch a
nd g
uid
ance
in r
elat
ion
to
issu
es o
f tr
anq
uilli
ty a
nd o
verfl
ight
of
area
s o
f o
utst
and
ing
nat
ural
bea
uty.
(A
ON
B)
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oing
Imp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f an
yre
vise
d g
uid
ance
to
the
C
AA
exp
ecte
d in
Jan
uary
20
14 f
rom
the
Jun
e 20
13
DfT
co
nsul
tati
on
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
27. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
eng
age
wit
h lo
cal c
om
mun
ity
rep
rese
ntat
ives
on
air
nois
e th
roug
h ap
pro
pri
ate
cons
ulta
tio
n g
roup
s, s
uch
as G
AT
CO
M, N
AT
MA
G, &
FLO
PS
C.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Mee
ting
s he
ld, n
ote
s &
ac
tio
ns in
clud
ing
fee
db
ack
fro
m m
eeti
ng a
tten
dee
s an
d
Loca
l Aut
hori
ties
N/A
28. W
e w
ill r
epo
rt o
n th
e p
rog
ress
of
the
acti
on
pla
n to
NA
TM
AG
as
a st
and
ing
ag
end
a it
em
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Rep
ort
to
NA
TM
AG
/
NA
TM
AG
min
utes
N/A
29. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
eng
age
wit
h G
AT
CO
M o
n no
ise
man
agem
ent
pro
vid
ing
qua
rter
ly
rep
ort
s o
f p
erfo
rman
ce a
nd t
he w
ork
of
the
FP
T, N
AT
MA
G a
nd F
LOP
SC
.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Mee
ting
s he
ld, m
inut
es,
No
tes
and
act
ion
trac
kers
N/A
30. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
off
er a
ran
ge
of
cont
act
op
tio
ns f
or
com
pla
ints
and
enq
uire
s re
gar
din
g a
ircr
aft
nois
e in
clud
ing
by
po
st, e
mai
l, lo
-cal
l vo
icem
ail f
acili
ty a
nd o
nlin
e o
n
the
nois
e w
ebsi
te.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Ava
ilab
ility
of
com
pla
int
chan
nels
N/A
31. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
pro
vid
e p
ublic
acc
ess
to fl
ight
tra
ck in
form
atio
n (d
elay
ed b
y 20
m
inut
es)
via
the
onl
ine
flig
ht t
rack
ing
fac
ility
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
On-
goi
ngA
vaila
bili
ty o
f an
onl
ine
flig
ht t
rack
ing
fac
ility
N/A
32. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
pro
vid
e a
Flig
ht P
erfo
rman
ce T
eam
ser
vice
and
imp
lem
ent
serv
ice
imp
rove
men
ts w
here
iden
tifie
d. T
he F
PT
will
co
ntin
ue t
o p
rovi
de
accu
rate
an
d t
imel
y d
ata
to a
id s
trat
egy
dev
elo
pm
ent
and
no
ise
com
pla
int
hand
ling
.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Effi
cien
t co
mp
lain
t ha
ndlin
g
and
res
olu
tio
n. F
PT
cus
tom
er
serv
ice
surv
ey
In e
xces
s o
f 11
,30
0
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited50 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
esca
leP
erfo
rman
ce
ind
icat
orN
umb
ers
affec
ted
33. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
log
all
com
pla
ints
rel
atin
g t
o a
ircr
aft
op
erat
ions
and
pub
lish
the
stat
isti
cs o
n o
ur w
ebsi
te q
uart
erly
.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Per
form
ance
tra
ck
thro
ugh
qua
rter
ly
FP
T r
epo
rts
N/A
34. W
e w
ill s
eek
to r
esp
ond
to
at
leas
t 9
5% o
f al
l co
mp
lain
ts a
nd e
nqui
ries
wit
hin
eig
ht
wo
rkin
g d
ays
of
rece
ipt
and
pub
lish
our
per
form
ance
in F
PT
qua
rter
ly r
epo
rts.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Per
form
ance
tra
cked
thro
ugh
qua
rter
ly
FP
T r
epo
rts
N/A
35. T
hro
ugh
our
wo
rk w
ith
NaT
MA
G a
nd t
he G
atw
ick
No
ise
Mo
nito
ring
Gro
up w
e w
ill s
eek
to f
urth
er d
evel
op
our
co
mm
unit
y no
ise
mo
nito
ring
pro
gra
mm
e to
hel
p g
ain
gre
ater
un
der
stan
din
g o
f th
e im
pac
ts in
co
mm
unit
ies
affec
ted
by
Gat
wic
k o
per
atio
ns.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sO
n-g
oing
Sta
tus
and
d
evel
op
men
to
f C
om
mun
ity
No
ise
Mo
nito
ring
Pro
gra
mm
e
N/A
36. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
dir
ect
all m
one
y ra
ised
by
nois
e in
frin
gem
ents
to
the
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
Co
mm
unit
y T
rust
.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Mo
ney
pai
d t
o t
he
Gat
wic
k A
irp
ort
C
om
mun
ity
Tru
stN
/A
36. a
) In
co
njun
ctio
n w
ith
the
Gat
wic
k N
ois
e M
oni
tori
ng G
roup
and
NA
TM
AG
we
will
co
ntin
ue t
o c
om
mis
sio
n no
ise
stud
ies
to g
ain
an in
sig
ht in
to t
he n
ois
e cl
imat
e in
a
par
ticu
lar
area
and
we
will
pub
lish
thes
e o
n o
ur w
ebsi
te.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Rep
ort
s co
mm
issi
one
d a
nd
pub
lishe
dN
/A
37. B
y th
e en
d o
f 20
11 w
e w
ill r
evie
w, d
evel
op
and
co
nsul
t o
n al
tern
ativ
e m
etric
s fo
r d
escr
ibin
g t
he im
pac
t o
f ai
rcra
ft o
per
atio
ns d
urin
g t
he c
our
se o
f th
is a
ctio
n p
lan.
We
will
wo
rk a
nd li
aise
with
oth
er U
K a
irpo
rts
and
th
e D
fT o
n th
e re
vise
d m
etric
s w
hils
t se
ekin
g r
evie
w b
y A
ircra
ft N
ois
e M
oni
torin
g A
dvi
sory
Co
mm
ittee
(U
K)
AN
MA
C.
Arr
ival
s D
epar
ture
s
2011
Thi
s p
iece
of
wo
rk
has
com
men
ced
ho
wev
er it
is
taki
ng lo
nger
tha
n
anti
cip
ated
.
Pub
lish
met
hod
olo
gy
and
mea
sure
s us
ed in
our
sus
tain
abili
ty
rep
ort
N/A
38. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
eng
age
wit
h lo
cal c
om
mun
ity
rep
rese
ntat
ives
on
gro
und
no
ise
issu
es t
hro
ugh
the
gro
und
no
ise
agen
da
item
of
the
No
ise
& T
rack
Mo
nito
ring
Ad
viso
ry
Gro
up’
Gro
und
Qua
rter
lyK
ey m
essa
ges
(GA
TC
OM
up
dat
e)N
/A
39. W
e w
ill c
ond
uct
cust
om
er s
ervi
ce s
urve
ys f
or
the
FP
T e
very
thr
ee y
ears
co
mm
enci
ng
in 2
010
.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
d
2013
Last
co
mp
lete
d in
20
10
Res
ults
pub
lishe
dN
/A
40
. We
will
ho
st a
loca
l fo
cus
foru
m/s
emin
ar e
very
tw
o y
ears
, inv
itin
g lo
cal i
nter
est
gro
ups
and
oth
er k
ey s
take
hold
ers.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
d
2013
Last
hel
d in
20
12
and
fur
ther
eve
nt
sche
dul
ed f
or
2014
Ho
stin
g o
f ev
ent
(a
nd o
utco
mes
)N
/A
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 51 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
esca
leP
erfo
rman
ce
ind
icat
orN
umb
ers
affec
ted
41.
We
will
co
mm
issi
on
and
pub
lish
nig
ht f
ore
cast
co
nto
urs
for
gro
und
no
ise
for
2015
in
2010
.G
roun
dC
om
ple
ted
as p
art
of
Gat
wic
k M
aste
rpla
n in
20
12
Co
mp
lete
and
pub
lish
N/A
42.
We
will
co
mm
issi
on
and
pub
lish
sum
mer
16 h
our
day
fo
reca
st L
eq c
ont
our
s fo
r ai
r no
ise
for
2015
in 2
010
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
Co
mp
lete
d
as p
art
of
Gat
wic
k M
aste
rpla
n in
20
12
Co
mp
lete
and
pub
lish
N/A
43.
We
will
co
mm
issi
on
and
pub
lish
fore
cast
Ld
en c
ont
our
s fo
r ai
r no
ise
for
2015
in 2
010
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
Co
mp
lete
d
as p
art
of
Gat
wic
k M
aste
rpla
n in
20
12
Co
mp
lete
and
pub
lish
N/A
44
. We
will
pub
lish
on
our
web
site
the
nig
ht q
uota
per
iod
48
dB
(A
) L e
q c
ont
our
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
On-
goi
ng(a
nnua
lly)
Co
mp
lete
and
pub
lish
N/A
45.
We
will
pub
lish
annu
ally
on
our
web
site
the
sum
mer
Leq
co
nto
urs
as p
rod
uced
by
the
DfT
.A
rriv
als
Dep
artu
res
On
go
ing
(ann
ually
)C
om
ple
te a
nd p
ublis
hN
/A
Org
anis
ing
our
selv
es t
o m
anag
e no
ise
effici
entl
y an
d e
ffec
tive
ly
46.
We
will
co
ntin
ue t
o e
ngag
e w
ith
loca
l pla
nnin
g a
utho
riti
es in
ord
er t
o e
nsur
e th
ey a
re
wel
l inf
orm
ed a
bo
ut n
ois
e is
sues
at
Gat
wic
kS
trat
egic
Ap
pro
ach
On-
goi
ngQ
uart
erly
S10
6
stee
ring
gro
up
mee
ting
sN
/A
47.
We
will
co
ntin
ue t
o m
oni
tor
adhe
renc
e an
d r
evie
w t
he e
ffec
tive
ness
of
our
gro
und
no
ise
op
erat
iona
l co
ntro
ls a
nd p
ublis
h d
ata
in t
he N
AT
MA
G m
inut
esG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
No
. of
new
co
ntro
ls.
Red
ucti
on
in n
umb
er
of
com
pla
ints
N/A
48.
We
com
mit
to
mai
ntai
ning
a s
uita
ble
No
ise
& T
rack
Kee
pin
g s
yste
m t
o m
anag
e no
ise,
tr
ack-
keep
ing
and
to
pro
vid
e an
onl
ine
self-
serv
ice
flig
ht t
rack
ing
/ c
om
pla
int
faci
lity.
W
e w
ill a
lso
enh
ance
thi
s se
rvic
e w
hen
upg
rad
es b
eco
me
avai
lab
le
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
Ser
vice
im
pro
vem
ents
/
upg
rad
es
imp
lem
ente
d
N/A
49.
We
will
co
ntin
ually
rev
iew
and
am
end
as
app
rop
riat
e th
e G
AD
s re
lati
ng t
o n
ois
e m
anag
emen
t.
Arr
ival
sD
epar
ture
sG
roun
dO
n-g
oing
No
. of
amen
ds.
Do
cum
enta
tio
n o
fre
view
pro
cess
N/A
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited52 Noise action plan
Act
ion
Imp
act
Tim
esca
leP
erfo
rman
ce
ind
icat
orN
umb
ers
affec
ted
50. W
e w
ill c
ont
inue
to
op
erat
e an
d e
nhan
ce o
ur N
ois
e M
anag
emen
t sy
stem
s.A
rriv
als
Dep
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N/A
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 53 Noise action plan
10 QUANTIFICATION OF THE NOISE ACTION PLAN
The original 2010 – 2015 Noise Action PlanIn developing the original action plan we took into account the guidance issued to airport operators. This suggested that residential areas exposed to an annual noise level of 69LAeq, 16h or more should be considered for further measures as a first priority. However unlike the guidance for the other major environmental noise sources (road and rail) the guidance did not offer a specific level by which to determine important areas within the strategic noise maps.
Subsequently we took the following steps to determine the most appropriate and effective actions to include in our draft noise action plan.
Prior to public consultationFirstly we considered the areas enclosed by the strategic noise maps and our existing noise complaint database. This confirmed our expectation that complaints about the impact of aircraft noise originate from locations both inside and outside the area within the strategic noise maps (see Section 7) and are about both air and ground noise. It also showed that issues such as night flying, runway alternation, arrivals noise, the number of over flights and low flying were consistently among the top issues of concern. Without guidance to the contrary and with our evidence and experience in managing noise from Gatwick we were determined that our action plan should include actions to limit, and where practicable, reduce noise impacts for areas both inside and outside the contours as well as ground noise. In this regard we extended the scope of the action plan beyond the END requirements.
Next we used results from three international benchmarking studies by independent consultants to help identify potential actions we could consider. Over 30 international airports worldwide were selected based on the number of annual movements and regional prominence. This exercise revealed that for operational noise controls Gatwick was one of, if not the leading
airport, worldwide. Similarly, although direct comparison is difficult, our mitigation and compensation benchmarking study showed Gatwick to be among the leading airports area. The final area of benchmarking concerned stakeholder engagement and communication. The results of this showed the greatest opportunities for improvement, with more than a dozen airports more effective in this area.
We then used this information to review all our existing noise management activities, identify additional ones and consider how they would impact on the areas enclosed by the 2006 noise mapping results and beyond. These new actions were then given a general ranking (high, medium and low) in terms of costs and benefits.
Following on from this and in order to prepare the then ‘draft’ noise action plan for full public consultation we held a series of pre-consultation events with representatives from airlines, NATS, local authorities, local residents groups and members of GATCOM.
A number of key themes emerged such as concern over current flight paths, night flights and sleep disturbance, application of noise mitigation and compensation schemes, the frequency of overflight, and a desire for recognition of the impact beyond the areas within the strategic noise maps.
Subsequently a total of 52 actions of which around 14 could be considered new activities were issued for public consultation over 16 weeks between 18 June and 7 October 2009. Key issues raised by the consultation included calls to stop night flights and to provide more financial help for insulation schemes, as well as the need to address issues relating to arrival and departure trajectories (44%). There were also a number of issues raised in relation to changing the current flight paths at Gatwick (30%) and how the action plan should be enforced (24%).
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 55 Noise action plan
Responding to the feedbackIn response we reviewed and amended our performance indicators and established targets whenever possible.
With regard to our insulation schemes we noted the many comments and remained committed to undertaking a review of the schemes in 2010. We also continued to support efforts to improve operational practices, including examining departure and arrival procedures.
We also added actions indicating our intention to request that the Government review the existing departure noise limit restrictions, airspace utilisation and night noise limits.
We also sought to identify opportunities to further involve key stakeholders in some of the actions detailed in the plan. For example we amended our benchmarking actions to include input from NATMAG. Similarly we also sought the groups input in the formulation of a suite of noise metrics to describe our noise impacts.
Revision of the Noise Action Plan 2013 – 2018In 2013 following the second round of noise mapping for Gatwick Airport it became necessary to review and revise, as necessary, the Noise Action Plan that had previously been prepared and adopted by the Secretary of State. The guidance received from DEFRA was that the revision was to be of a ‘light touch’ as opposed to a full re-write.
As the actions detailed in the original Noise Action Plan were already in existence and therefore in most instances remain valid the guidance received was to review, update and generally refresh the document taking into account the following:
• The results of the noise mapping completed in 2012; and
• The progress made against the actions described in the original action plan
• Any relevant updates about the airport and its operation
• Updating information about relevant legislation and standards
• Updating relevant national and local policies
• Information about any proposed new actions and any on-going actions.
Once the plan was revised, it was subject to consultation with the individual members of GATCOM and the comments received from the member organisations of GATCOM were taken into account in the final preparation of the Noise Action Plan.
Descriptions of those comments are included in the revised plan together with a reasoned justification for the response to the issues raised. These can be found in Annex 9.
Quantifying the planIn both the original and revised Noise Action Plan we have attempted to quantify the number of residents impacted by individual actions by using the results of the respective noise mapping and data packs provided by DEFRA. Our approach has been to identify which actions have a direct operational impact and then to assess whether the action would impact the population within a specific contour area or affect the whole area covered by the noise mapping. Some actions (eg achieving more CDAs) will have most impact on areas beyond the noise mapping contours. Some of the original respondents were not content with this approach, however, but we continue to believe that it is not practicable to estimate with any degree of certainty the specific impact of many of the individual actions. However we do recognise the benefit of attempting to quantify the overall change brought about by the successful implementation of the action plan.
10 QUANTIFICATION OF THE NOISE ACTION PLAN
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited56 Noise action plan
ANNEXES
ANNEX 1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
AAL Above Aerodrome Level
AIP Aeronautical Information Publication
ACARE Advisory Council for Aeronautical Research in Europe
ACOP Arrivals Code of Practice
ACP Airspace Change Proposal
AMSL Above mean sea level
ANASE Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England
ANMAC
Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee. The committee is chaired by the Department for Transport and comprises, among others, representatives of the airlines, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports and airport consultative committees.
ANOMS Airport Noise Operations Monitoring System
APU Auxiliary Power Unit. A power unit located on the aircraft.
APF Aviation Policy Framework
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATWP Air Transport White Paper
BAA BAA plc, the company which own and runs Heathrow, and Stansted airports amongst others.
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CDA Continuous Descent Approach
CPRE Campaign to Protect Rural England
dB(A)
A unit of sound pressure level, adjusted in accordance with the A weighting scale, which takes into account the increased sensitivity of the human ear at some frequencies.
Decibel (dB)
The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit of measurement that expresses the magnitude of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. Its logarithmic nature allows very large or very small ratios to be represented by a convenient number. Being a ratio, it is a dimensionless unit. Decibels are used for a wide variety of measurements including acoustics, and for audible sound A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) are commonly used.
DEFRA Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Government).
DfT Department for Transport (Government)
ECAC European Civil Aviation Conference
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 59 Noise action plan
ANNEX 1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
EPNdb
Effective Perceived Noise Decibels (EPNdB). It refers to the metric ‘EPNL’ (Effective Perceived Noise Level) which is used for noise certification and takes account of tones and duration.
ERCD Environmental Research and Consultancy Department of the Civil Aviation Authority.
EHO Environmental Health Officer
FEGP Fixed Electrical Ground Power
FEU Flight Evaluation Unit
FLOPSC Flight Operations Performance & Safety Committee
FPT Flight Performance Team (previously known as the Flight Evaluation Unit)
GAL Gatwick Airport Limited, the owner and operator of London Gatwick Airport
GATCOM Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee
GNC Ground Noise Committee
GNMG Gatwick Noise Monitoring Group
GPU Ground Power Unit
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ILS Instrument Landing System
LAMP London airspace management programme
LA90 A-weighted sound level exceeded for 90% of the time
LAeq,16hThe A-weighted average sound level over the 16 hour period of 07:00 – 23:00
LAeq,T
The notional A-weighted equivalent continuous sound level which, if it occurred over the same time period, would give the same noise level as the actual varying sound level. The T denotes the time period over which the average is taken, for example LAeq,8h is the equivalent continuous noise level over a 8 hour period
LdayThe A-weighted average sound level over the 12 hour day period of 07:00 - 19:00.
Lden
The day, evening, night level, Lden is a logarithmic composite of the Lday, Levening, and Lnight levels but with 5 dB(A) being added to the Levening value and 10 dB(A) being added to the Lnight value
Leq
Equivalent sound level of aircraft noise in dB(A), often called equivalent continuous sound level. For conventional historical contours this is based on the daily average movements that take place in the 16 hour period (07:00 - 23:00 LT) during the 92 day period 16 June to 15 September inclusive
LeveningThe A-weighted average sound level over the 4 hour evening period of 19:00 - 23:00
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited60 Noise action plan
ANNEX 1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
LnightThe A-weighted average sound level over the 8 hour night period of 2300 - 0700
NATS
Formerly known as National Air Traffic Services Ltd. NATS is licensed to provide en-route air traffic control for the UK and the Eastern part of the North Atlantic, and also provides air traffic control services under contract at several major UK airports, including Gatwick.
nm Nautical mile
Noise Contour Map contour line indicating noise exposure in dB for the area that it encloses
NPPF National Planning Policy Framework
NPR Noise Preferential Route
NTK
Noise and Track Keeping monitoring system. The NTK system associates radar data from air traffic control radar with related data from both fixed (permanent) and mobile noise monitors at prescribed positions on the ground
NATMAG Noise and Track Monitoring Advisory Group
PNdBPerceived Noise Level, measured in PNdB. Its measurement involves analyses of the frequency spectra of noise events as well as the maximum level.
PPG Planning Policy Guidance
QC Quota Count - the basis of the London airports Night Restrictions regime
QNH Barometric altimeter setting which will cause the altimeter to read altitude above mean sea level
Sustainable AviationA UK aviation industry initiative aiming to set out a long term strategy for the industry to address it sustainability issues
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 61 Noise action plan
ANNEX 2 “ANNEX V” OF THE DEFRA GUIDANCE
Annex V of the environmental Noise Directive sets out minimum requirements of Action Plans.
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited62 Noise action plan
(in revising Noise Action Plans) for those airports that already have an Action Plan prepared under the terms of the Regulations.
ANNEX 3 THE PROCESS AS STATED BY DEFRA
Process for those airports that already have an Action Plan prepared under the terms of the Regulations
For those airports for which an action plan, prepared under the terms of the Regulations, exists, the following process should be followed.
The current action plan should be reviewed taking account of:
• The results of the noise mapping completed in 2012; and
• The progress made against the actions described in the current action plan;
The current plan should be revised to include, as necessary:
• Updating details about the airport and its operation;
• Updating information about relevant legislation and standards; and
• Updating relevant national and local policies
The revision to the plan should also include:
• The results of the recent round of noise mapping;
• Information about the progress made against the actions described in the current plan
• Information about on-going actions• Information about any proposed new
actions
It is envisaged that once the plan has been revised, it will be presented to the Airport’s Consultative Committee for comment, and any other appropriate bodies depending on the extent and nature of the revisions.
The Airport Operator will reflect upon the comments received from the Consultative Committee. A description of those comments should be included in the revised plan together with a reasoned justification for the response to the issues raised. The Airport Operator shall include, as appropriate, information about those who responded to the consultation (unless they indicated that they did not wish to be mentioned).
In the revision of the plan, the Airport Operator must be sure that the information required by Annex V of the Directive (see Box 2 and Section 2 of this guidance) is included.
Once the revised plan has been finalised, it needs to be sent to the Secretary of State for Defra. The document must include prominently displayed wording identifying it as a draft subject to formal adoption and approval. 36
The Secretary of State for Defra, in liaison with the Department for Transport, will form a view regarding whether or not the submitted revised plan meets the requirements of Regulation 15 and, therefore, whether or not the plan is appropriate for adoption.
If the Secretary of State for Defra considers that the requirements of Regulation 15 are not met, the airport operator will be required to make the necessary changes to the revised plan so that the requirements of Regulation 15 are met in full. Following revision, the revised plan will need to be resubmitted to the Secretary of State for Defra by an agreed date for further consideration.
Once adopted, the revised Noise Action Plan should be published by the Airport Operator as a public document in an electronic format, within 28 days of being informed that the revised Noise Action Plan has been adopted.
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 63 Noise action plan
ANNEX 3 THE PROCESS AS STATED BY DEFRA
(in revising Noise Action Plans) for those airports that already have an Action Plan prepared under the terms of the Regulations.
The Regulations contain a continuing obligation on Airport Operators to review (and revise, if necessary) the Noise Action Plan every 5 years or sooner where a major development occurs. Where the Airport Operator feels that such a review is necessary, then the process described in paragraphs 5.5 – 5.11 above regarding consultation and submission shall be followed.
Airport Operators may wish to agree to carry out an informal review of the progress being made on the implementation of the Action Plan as part of their continuing engagement with the local airport consultative committee or other stakeholders. The process and timing for any informal review should be jointly agreed between the Airport Operator and the committee, or other stakeholders, as appropriate. Such reviews could form part of any regular environmental reporting that is already undertaken.
It should be noted that, under the terms of Regulation 2637 of the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, the Secretary of State has the power to take action should he believe that a requirement of these Regulations is not being met due to any act or omission by the Airport Operator.
36 Regulation 29 (1)37 Regulation 26 (4)
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited64 Noise action plan
ANNEX 4 STRATEGIC NOISE MAPS FOR GATWICK AIRPORT Map 1 – 2011 Lden contours. Source: DEFRA Gatwick Airport Datapack
!
!
!
!
! 7570
65
60
55
5200
00
5200
00
5300
00
5300
00
5400
00
5400
00
130000
130000
140000
140000
150000
150000
The
Envi
ronm
enta
l Noi
se
(Eng
land
) Reg
ulat
ions
200
6(a
s am
ende
d)Lo
ndon
Gatw
ick A
irpor
t (EG
KK)
L den
© C
row
n C
opyr
ight
and
dat
abas
e rig
ht 2
013.
Al
l rig
hts
rese
rved
.O
rdna
nce
Sur
vey
Lice
nce
num
ber 1
0002
2861
Agg
lom
erat
ion
Noi
se L
evel
Con
tour
(dB
)60
Prod
uced
on
beha
lf of
Def
ra b
y
Year
- 20
11
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 65 Noise action plan
!
!
!
!
!
!
! 6663
6057
54
51
48
5200
00
5200
00
5300
00
5300
00
5400
00
5400
00
130000
130000
140000
140000
150000
150000
The
Envi
ronm
enta
l Noi
se
(Eng
land
) Reg
ulat
ions
200
6(a
s am
ende
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ndon
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ick A
irpor
t (EG
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L nig
ht
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row
n C
opyr
ight
and
dat
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e rig
ht 2
013.
Al
l rig
hts
rese
rved
.O
rdna
nce
Sur
vey
Lice
nce
num
ber 1
0002
2861
Agg
lom
erat
ion
Noi
se L
evel
Con
tour
(dB
)60
Prod
uced
on
beha
lf of
Def
ra b
y
Year
- 20
11
ANNEX 4 END NOISE MAPSMap 2 – 2011 Lnight contours. Source: DEFRA Gatwick Airport Datapack
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ANNEX 5 COMPLAINT DATA
Understanding the concerns of local residents is important in forming our approach to managing aircraft noise. The FPT engages with individuals and representatives of local communities to better understand their concerns. This dialogue is supplemented by analysis of our complaint data.
During 2012 the FPT received 5,800 complaints from 414 callers. This compares to 4,036 complaints from 345 callers in 2011; the year from which data was used to produce the strategic noise maps used in this noise action plan. (see Annex 3).
The five most common reported causes for contacting the FPT were aircraft noise, low flying aircraft, arrivals, increased number of flights and night flights.
The FPT’s investigation of complaints is helped by quick address postcoding and geographic mapping, which can locate a caller’s postcode on a map. In addition, radar data supplied by NATS can be overlaid, enabling accurate airline, aircraft type, height and noise data to be extracted.
Figure 1 shows the location of noise complainants in 2012 with the NPRs located.
Table 1 shows the total number of complainants and complaints in the last seven years. Gatwick’s noise website, which enables people to log complaints online and find out exactly which aircraft was flying over their house at any given time, is a valuable tool to help monitor and manage enquiries.
Table 2 shows eight locations with ten or more complainants in 2012. All but one of these locations are situated within approximately ten miles of the airport. Many other locations recorded only one complainant, complaint or contact.
Table 3 shows eight locations recording 50 or more complaints in 2012. Some of these locations are further away from the airport than those listed in Table 2 and this suggests that outlying, more sparsely populated areas can sometimes be more sensitive to noise disturbance than areas closer to Gatwick. It is also worth noting that the locations are designated by postal codes and in some instances the town location refers to the nearest postal town.
As identified in Table 2, the largest number of complainants resided in the town of Crawley to the immediate south of the airport. Departing aircraft avoid over-flying Crawley below 3,000ft. Generally, this requirement is only not met in the case of departing aircraft which are directed off the NPRs for weather avoidance. Crawley does however experience aircraft that have aborted their landing and are performing a ‘go-around’.
Neighbourhoods in Crawley that are located close to the airport perimeter may also experience levels of general ground noise and there are various measures in place to mitigate and control the cases of this.
Horley is occasionally affected by departing aircraft on westerly operations. The congested area of Horley should not be overflown on departure and we continue to work with NATS and NATMAG in relation to this. Horley fell outside of the boundary of the recently expired night and day noise insulation scheme and the majority of the town lies outside of the 55Lden contour.
The Edenbridge area is predominantly affected by arriving aircraft activity when the aerodrome is operating in a westerly direction; aircraft approach from the east and take-off towards the west. The majority of complainants reside in areas that will be overflown by aircraft making their base-leg turn onto and/or are descending on the Instrument Landing System.
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ANNEX 5 COMPLAINT DATA
Location with 10+ callers Callers
Crawley 50
Horley 33
Edenbridge 26
Dorking 25
Horsham 22
East Grinstead 81
Tunbridge Wells 21
Lingfield 12
Table 2locations with 10+ callers
Table 1Callers and complaints relating to airport operations
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Callers 580 482 406 473 409 345 414
Complaints 6,758 5,288 6,315 6,497 6,936 4,036 5,800
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ANNEX 5 COMPLAINT DATA
Table 3Locations with 50+ complaints
Location with 50+ complaints Complaints Complainants
Edenbridge 575 26
Lingfield 301 12
East Grinstead 245 81
Horley 134 33
Marsh Green 129 2
Hever 93 3
Tunbridge Wells 79 21
Crawley 76 50
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ANNEX 5 COMPLAINT DATA
Table 1 : Map illustrating the location of complainants in 2012 (NPRs illustrated)
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ANNEX 5 COMPLAINT DATA
Table 1 : Map illustrating the location of complainants in 2012 (NPRs illustrated)ANNEX 6 SUMMARY OF LIMIT VALUES
IN PLACE
1 Local Authority planning conditions2 Limit the 6.5 hour, 48 dB(A) Leq
contour (for the winter and summer seasons combined) to 47km² by 2011/2012. At Gatwick in 2011/2012 the 6.5 hour 48dBA Leq contour (for the winter and summer seasons combined) was 34.1 km2 . In 2002-2003 it was 41.3 km2 1
3 Night Movement and Quota Count Restrictions between 23:00 and 06:00 local.
4 The noise abatement procedures contained within the UK AIP (see Section six)
5 Daytime (07:00-23:00) departure noise limit of 94dB(A) Lmax at 6.5km from start of roll.
6 Night Shoulder (23:00-23:30 & 06:00-07:00) departure noise limit of 89dB(A) Lmax at 6.5km from start of roll.
7 Night (23:30-06:00) departure noise limit of 87dB(A) Lmax at 6.5km from start of roll.
Winter 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12
Movement Limit 3,250 3,250 3,250 3,250 3,250 3,250
Noise Quota 2,300 2,240 2,180 2,120 2,060 2,000
Summer 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Movement Limit 11,200 11,200 11,200 11,200 11,200 11,200
Noise Quota 6,700 6,600 6,500 6,400 6,300 6,200
1 Source of data – Night Flying Restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Stage 1 Consultation – DfT. The night flying regime due to expire in 2012 was extended to winter 2013/2014. At the time of preparing this action plan the new regime was not announced.
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ANNEX 7 ILLUSTRATIVE NOISE PREFERENTIAL ROUTE MAP
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ANNEX 8 BOUNDARY OF NOISE INSULATION SCHEME MAP MAP 1
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ANNEX 8 HOME RELOCATION ASSISTANCE SCHEME MAP MAP 2
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ANNEX 9 FINANCIAL INFORMATION Estimated current financial cost to Gatwick
Airport Ltd of noise management
Type Description Approximate annual cost (£k)
Staff costsCommunications team including FPT salary & associated training
200
Noise & Track Keeping system costs
Software licences & development support
100
Publications & communications
Seminars, documents and website 60
FinesDeparture noise limits and track-keeping
0
Noise insulation & mitigation schemes
Insulation, relocation, community buildings
750
Research & consultancy
Community noise monitoring schemes, S.106 Audit, independent reporting and studies
150
Source: Gatwick Airport Limited 2013
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited 75 Noise action plan
ANNEX 10 GATCOM CONSULTATION RESPONSES
Feedback was received from the following members of GATCOM
GATCOM Secretariat
Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign
Horley Town Council
Gatwick Diamond
West Sussex County Council
East Sussex County Council
Kent County Council
Further feedback was received from the following
Hever Parish Council
Penshurst Parish Council
Chiddingstone Parish Council
Ifield Village Conservation Area Advisory Committee
Member of the public from Chiddingstone Hoath, Kent.
Edenbridge Town Council
In line with the guidance received from DEFRA, the revised Noise Action Plan was forwarded to the individual members of GATCOM for consideration and feedback.
A member organisation of GATCOM forwarded the document to its membership requesting they too consider it and provide feedback to Gatwick Airport Ltd. While this feedback doesn’t form part of the consultative process, Gatwick Airport Ltd has noted its content and has made revisions where appropriate.
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ANNEX 10 GATCOM CONSULTATION RESPONSES
Feedback themes Gatwick Airport Ltd response
Time period allowed for consultation with GATCOM member organisations. Time period extended to one month.
No reference is made to the annual 57dB ERCD noise contours
In revising the Noise Action Plan, the DEFRA datapack and ERCD Report 1205 Strategic Noise Maps are utilised in line with the guidance received.
Gatwick Airport Ltd should place further restrictions on night time operations and also seek a reduction in the amount of flights permitted.
The DfT is currently undertaking the Stage Two public consultation on the night flying restrictions for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. As a designated airport this is ultimately a matter for the Government to consider.
The document is poorly drafted.The document provided for consultation was in draft format and the necessary revisions have been made.
Noise suppression devices should be retrofitted to A320 family aircraft.
Action included in the Noise Action Plan for Gatwick Airport Ltd to contact the main A320 operators seeking their intentions with reference to this.
Noise Action Plan makes reference to PPG The Noise Action Plan now refers to NPPF.
Provide a league table of airline’s environmental performance.
An existing action plan point has been amended to include this.
Reporting on the action plan progress isn’t included in the Flight Performance Team report.
This is a standing agenda item for the NATMAG and the minutes are published online therefore this has been removed to avoid duplication.
You are removing the commitment to maintaining a low-call voicemail facility to complainants.
This has been reversed and we commit to providing a low-call voicemail facility.
The document is too long.This is a revision of the previous Noise Action Plan, not a full re-write therefore previous content has been revised and retained.
Too many acronyms. There is a glossary of terms in the appendices.
The Noise Action Plan progress isn’t independently verified.
Progress against action plan actions are a standing agenda item at the NATMAG whose membership consist individuals and organisations independent of Gatwick Airport Ltd.
The new changes to the Noise Action Plan are supported.
Noted.
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ANNEX 10 GATCOM CONSULTATION RESPONSES
Feedback themes Gatwick Airport Ltd response
The new changes to the Noise Action Plan are supported.
Noted.
Ground Noise is forecast to increase in the Gatwick Airport masterplan publication. The Noise Action Plan doesn’t address this.
Document revised to make reference to this point and the fact that Gatwick Airport Ltd will monitor and implement necessary mitigation measures as necessary.
Gatwick Airport Ltd judges its own performance against action plan actions.
Progress against action plan actions are a standing agenda item at the NATMAG whose membership consist individuals and organisations independent of Gatwick Airport Ltd.
The Noise Action Plan is a public relations exercise.
We disagree. This is a light-touch revision to a ‘live’ document and we continue to make progress against our actions.
You say the number of people affected by noise has decreased however the recent noise contours show a near 20% increase.
The Noise Action Plan is based upon strategic noise mapping. The annual 57dB noise contours have illustrated an increase from 2011 to 2012 largely due to an increased period of easterly operations compared to previous years.
Noise contours aren’t an accurate means of assessing noise disturbance levels.
This is acknowledged and we have taken this into account on a number of initiatives, including the new noise insulation scheme boundaries.
No details of progress of the actions contained within the previous version of the Noise Action Plan.
This is a standing agenda item at NATMAG and in the action plan table details are included of completed and ongoing actions.
GATCOM doesn’t represent certain communities in the west Kent area.
GATCOM has a member representing Kent County council who also sits on NATMAG.
You don’t commit to achieving 100% CDA compliance by arriving aircraft.
While we aspire to total compliance with CDA we acknowledge there are numerous factors that affect the ability to achieve such an approach. We continue to work with airlines when a trend of poor CDA achievement is identified.
We want a date when you will implement steeper approaches.
There are currently no plans to implement steeper approaches and this initiative is currently in research phase with our colleagues in Sustainable Aviation.
You don’t meet with noise affected communities.
We continue to meet with noise affected communities and their representatives on an ad hoc basis when invitations are received.
New Guidance to the CAA on Environmental Objectives Relating to the Exercise of its Air Navigation Functions will be released in the future. Gatwick doesn’t mention this.
Reference is now made to the revised guidance.
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ANNEX 10 GATCOM CONSULTATION RESPONSES
Feedback themes Gatwick Airport Ltd response
Regular reporting on noise to GATCOM is supported, and we wish to see this practice continue.
We will continue to engage with GATCOM.
It is recognised that aircraft noise has detrimental impacts on health, including raised blood pressure and sleep disturbance. Although aircraft noise has reduced through technological improvements, frequency of flights has increased, thus the overall impact of noise on communities has not necessarily reduced.
We have included a new action requesting the DfT to undertake research to fully understand the health impacts of aircraft noise.
The list of actions relevant to the Noise Action Plan are comprehensive.
The majority of the actions are carried over from, the previous plan with some new additions, included both before and after receiving feedback.
There is no reference to the Sustainable Aviation Noise Road-Map. Now included.
It doesn’t mention that ground noise controls are subject of a Section 106 legal agreement.
Wording amended to reflect the existence of the Section 106 Legal Agreement.
It is recommended that Gatwick Airport Ltd makes an undertaking to consult on respite trials and other innovative ways to minimise the impact of aircraft overflight.
New action included committing to consult.
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ANNEX 11 THE HEVER & MARSH GREEN NOISE WORKING GROUP
At a meeting on 17th December 2010 Sir John Stanley (MP for Tonbridge & Malling) and Stewart Wingate (Chief Executive Officer of Gatwick Airport Limited) asked three Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) staff and three residents who live under the runway 26L approach path to form a Working Group to review the current circumstances at Gatwick in respect of noise and to report back.
The conclusions of the group resulted in a twenty point action plan that was presented to Sir John Stanley and Stewart Wingate and thereafter to NATMAG and GATCOM for consideration. The majority of actions were completed with an agreement that the remainder would be included in this Noise Action Plan.
The remaining actions for inclusion in this Noise Action Plan are:
• GAL makes a statement on its current approach to acoustic noise insulation and its plans for enhancement of the scheme up to 2019.
This is included in Actions 14, 16, 20 and 21. The Noise Insulation Scheme has been revised and now benefits from an extended coverage area whereby Gatwick Airport Ltd will make a financial contribution towards the cost of acoustic insulation.
• Gatwick Airport Ltd to develop a model to identify best environmental operational practice by airlines.
This is included in the amended wording of Action 4 where we commit to publishing a league table to identify the best airlines in terms of noise and emissions.
• Gatwick Airport Ltd to publicly declare its aspiration to become the industry champion for operational best practice in the UK and EU.
In the new Action 19B we state that in conjunction with the London Airspace Management Programme we will explore innovative new methods to control both inbound and outbound aircraft to strive for operational best practice with a view to minimising their impact on the communities below.
• Gatwick Airport Ltd to prioritise the development of a “rotating respite” trial process.
In the new Action 19A we state we will explore the feasibility of providing ‘rotating respite’ to those communities affected by noise from arriving aircraft.
• Gatwick Airport Ltd to prioritise examination of aircraft approach angles of descent.
In Action 12 we state we will work with our partners in Sustainable Aviation to develop and promote low noise flight procedures. This will be achieved through evaluation of future operational methods and implementation of best practice, for example, evaluating the feasibility of introducing a steeper approach as part of an international initiative. Gatwick Airport will implement any recommendations resulting from feasibility studies in conjunction with the CAA and the DfT as and when they are released.
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ANNEX 12 THE RESULTS OF THE 2006 NOISE MAPPING
Noise leveldb (A)
Area (km2) Dwellings People
≥54 81.2 4,100 10,300
≥57 47.4 1,850 4,400
≥60 27.5 500 1,300
≥63 15.8 250 600
≥66 8.8 150 300
≥69 4.7 <50 <100
≥72 2.5 0 0
> 75 1.4 0 0
Table 1Estimated areas, populations and households within Gatwick Airport 12 hour day Lday noise contours.Source: DEFRA 2006 noise mapping (data pack)
Noise leveldb (A)
Area (km2) Dwellings People
≥54 57.5 2,550 6,200
≥57 33.2 750 1,900
≥60 18.7 350 800
≥63 10.3 150 400
≥66 5.5 <50 100
≥69 2.9 <50 <100
≥72 1.6 0 0
> 75 0.9 0 0
Table 2Estimated areas, populations and households within Gatwick Airport four hour Levening noise contours.Source: DEFRA 2006 noise mapping (data pack)
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ANNEX 12 THE RESULTS OF THE 2006 NOISE MAPPING
Table 3Estimated areas, populations and households within Gatwick Airport eight hour Lnight noise contours. See Annex 3, Map 2Source: DEFRA 2006 noise mapping (data pack)
Noise leveldb (A)
Area (km2) Dwellings People
≥48 69.9 3,000 7,500
≥51 40.0 1,500 3,700
≥54 22.8 450 1,100
≥57 12.8 200 500
≥60 7.0 100 300
≥63 3.7 <50 <100
≥66 2.1 0 0
> 69 1.4 0 0
Table 4Estimated areas, populations and households within Gatwick Airport 24 hour Lden noise contours. See Annex 3, Map 1Source: DEFRA 2006 noise mapping (data pack)
Noise leveldb (A)
Area (km2) Dwellings People
≥55 94.5 4,700 11,900
≥60 38.2 1,300 3,200
≥65 14.9 250 600
≥70 5.4 50 100
≥75 2.0 0 0
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ANNEX 12 THE RESULTS OF THE 2006 NOISE MAPPING
Table 5Estimated areas, populations and households within Gatwick Airport annual 16 hour day LAeq,16h noise contours.Source: DEFRA 2006 noise mapping (data pack)
Noise leveldb (A)
Area (km2) Dwellings People
≥54 75.6 3,550 8,900
≥57 44.0 1,550 3,700
≥60 25.4 450 1,200
≥63 14.6 200 600
≥66 8.1 100 300
≥69 4.3 <50 <100
≥72 2.3 0 0
> 75 1.3 0 0
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NOTES
November 2013 | Noise action plan 2013 – 2018 | Gatwick Airport Limited84 Noise action plan
Issued by Gatwick Airport Corporate Affairs & Sustainability© Gatwick Airport Ltd 2014
This EU Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) Noise Action Plan for London Gatwick Airport was adopted on 4th August 2014 by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as required by the Environmental Noise Directive and the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended).