The most recent Heathrow public consultation included proposals, which will cause major disturbance to all Chiswick residents with more flights, more noise and more pollution, even if the Third Runway does not go ahead.
- Heathrow are proposing options that would result in 29 flights directly over Bedford Park and Chiswick between 06.00 and 07.00am – one plane every 2.4 minutes – at very high decibel levels, likely to wake people up. Up to 40 overhead flights per day are proposed at this stage, before implementation of the new runway.
- If the Third Runway is built, we would be even more significantly affected with incoming low-flying aircraft (at 2,000 – 3,000ft), 47 flights per hour (one every 1.5 minutes) and with all of the flights above the key 65-decibel level. There will be 17 departing flights per hour (one every 3.5 minutes), all above 65 decibels.
Many residents responded to the consultation
While efforts continue in an attempt to challenge the Third Runway at the political level, the Society together with CHATR, urged as many people as possible to complete the questionnaire to ensure that, in the event the proposals are implemented, the least damaging options for Chiswick residents are adopted. In a number of instances the options offered were equally undesirable but the consultation forced us to select the “lesser of two evils.”
Working with CHATR we produced suggested responses and information on how to submit responses for members and helped publicise the importance of responding to all Chiswick residents. Our efforts have been much appreciated by members and residents alike.
Our work continues
We continue to monitor developments, supporting the work of CHATR (Chiswick Against the Third Runway) and taking action when necessary. Following the disappointing government vote in favour of the Third Runway, we remain committed to supporting any further efforts to challenge this development, which represents such a significant threat to Bedford Park and Chiswick.
Many questions are still unanswered, such as reconciliation with air pollution limits, binding Climate Change targets, the economics of the project, including creating access to the airport, and the adequacy of the government’s proposed compensation scheme.
During February and March 2018, we encouraged members to respond to Heathrow Airport’s Airspace consultation, which will influence its proposals to the CAA for the development of the airspace of Chiswick and Bedford Park. We contacted members, summarising the key points and providing responses that the Society and CHATR suggested should be made to make the strongest case, and also submitted a formal response from the Society.
In April we attended a meeting with the Aviation Minister where CHATR emphasised the noise disruption which would be caused by the flight path passing over Chiswick and Bedford Park.
Next steps
The next stage in the process is a planning enquiry and legal challenges from a number of bodies and local authorities. A full judicial review of the cases against Heathrow’s expansion is being heard over 10 days at the High Court, starting on Monday 11 March.
The March 2019 consultation
The majority of the consultation was about airspace change, noise, respite, directional preference and night flights, which will follow the construction of the third runway, and full details are available online.
The Society’s response is available here.
Previous consultation in 2018
The Society submitted a formal response and encouraged everyone to submit an individual objection.
The Society’s response is available here.
The original full proposal produced by the Government can be seen online.
More detailed facts and figures are also available on the Airport Watch website.