2/06/07 (UK):
Expert Estimates Stansted Noise Impact
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A noise expert has said the impact of an increase in flights from Stansted Airport would be larger than airport bosses claim.
The acoustics expert said almost 300 more people would be "highly" affected by the increase.
He was speaking on the second day of the public inquiry into proposals to raise passenger levels to 35 million a year BAA wants to increase air traffic movements from 241,000 a year to 264,000 a year. It hopes the inspector at the inquiry will lift the current annual limit of 25 million passengers.
Uttlesford District Council began giving evidence using Stephen Turner, director of acoustics at Bureau Veritas, as their first witness.
Mr Turner gave detailed technical evidence on noise-related issues and estimated 247 people are likely to be highly annoyed by aircraft noise and an extra 48 highly sleep disturbed, if the cap on passenger limits is lifted.
Mr Turner has worked in the field of environmental noise for nearly 30 years, assessing the effects of noise from a wide variety of sources including aircraft.
Concluding his evidence he said: "I have shown that the scale of the impact is larger than that identified by BAA in their environment statement and have concluded there will be a measurable and meaningful increment compared with the revised 25 million passengers a year case, which will be noticed by those exposed to aircraft noise."
Uttlesford council leader Jim Ketteridge said 25 million passengers a year should be "the end of the road".
He added: "Stansted was originally constructed as an airport in the countryside. Going beyond 25 million people would completely erode that principle and would urbanise the whole area, to which we are totally opposed."
Uttlesford is expected to conclude its evidence on June 8.
The inquiry, being heard by planning inspector Alan Boyland, is due to end in October.
In July the inquiry will hear from Aqqaluk Lynge, the leader of Greenland's Inuit population, who will speak on the impact climate change is having on his people.
© X-Pro 2007
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