Agenda item

Councillor R J West to move –

This Council

a)  Notes the data collected by the National Air Traffic Service regarding the recent flight path changes at London Luton Airport;

b)  Notes the increased noise and pollution experienced by Huntingdonshire residents caused by descending aircraft

c)  Urges London Luton airport to abandon its recent flight path changes which have led to additional aircraft mileage above rural Huntingdonshire communities; and

d)  Requests that the Leadership write to the Civil Aviation Authority as part of their Post Implementation Review of flight path changes.

Councillor R J West moved and it was duly seconded by Councillor I D Gardener that

This Council

a)  Notes the data collected by the National Air Traffic Service regarding the recent flight path changes at London Luton Airport.

b)  Notes the increased noise and pollution experienced by Huntingdonshire residents caused by descending aircraft.

c)  Urges London Luton airport to abandon its recent flight path changes which have led to additional aircraft mileage above rural Huntingdonshire communities.

d)  Requests that the Leadership write to the Civil Aviation Authority as part of their Post Implementation Review of flight path changes.

In presenting his motion, Councillor West made specific reference to planes flying over Abbotsley at 5,000 feet applying their air brakes and the unpleasant nature of this noise for local residents. He went on to thank Councillor Ferguson for chairing the public meetings on the matter, together with South Cambridgeshire District Council Cabinet Member Councillor Hawkins and MPs Jonathan Djanogly and Anthony Brown for their support in meeting with the aviation minister.

In responding, Councillor S Ferguson the Executive Councillor for Customer Services thanked Councillor West for raising the issue. He went on to explain that he and Councillor West received thousands of noise complaints from residents of Abbotsley, Waresley, the Gransdens, Toseland and Yelling and the whole of Southern Cambridgeshire as a result of up to 40 flights heading into London Luton each day. Council were informed that there had been two public meetings held on the matter and excellent support had been received from Jonathan Djanogly MP and Anthony Brown MP on the matter.

Councillor Ferguson also drew attention to the problems that had been experienced during the consultation on these changes, whereby there had been very little parish engagement and no opportunity to comment on noise issues.

Councillor Ferguson also urged caution to those in the South of the District following the recent announcement of plans for Luton to expand its passenger numbers from 18M to 32M a year, which would almost double the number of flights in and out of the airport.

Finally, whilst the Executive Councillor supported the spirit of the motion, Council were informed that for technical reasons he could not support the entire wording of it because of his responsibilities for Environmental Health. However, he urged colleagues within the Joint Administration and Members to vote in solidarity with the rural communities across the District at this time.

A debate then ensued during which Councillors Davenport-Ray, Alban, Cawley, Sanderson and Gardener spoke in favour of supporting the motion. In so doing, comments were made regarding the negative impacts on the quality of life experienced by Huntingdonshire residents living in the area, the inaccuracy and apparent abandonment of previous statements made by the Civil Aviation Authority on the matter regarding the height of the aircraft approaching London Luton, the desire to protect residents from pollution and noise and the previous commitment made for the Authority to be an agent for influencing environmental change.

Having been put to the vote, the Motion was declared to be CARRIED.