Policy on night-time flying needs more detailed review

Clipping: thisiskent

My decision to halt the consultation process with regard to the night-time flying policy application from Manston airport was not taken lightly, as I am aware that many people felt that debate about this sensitive issue was long overdue. This week's column gives me the opportunity to share my thinking on the matter. I have always believed that any night-time flying policy should be as specific as possible and that anyone reading it should be able to have a reasonable idea of what exactly that policy would mean in terms of how many planes would be moving at night, how noisy would they be and at what times would these occur.

The application used an annual quota count limit as its basis. This is an accepted method of limiting night-time flying, but I have always felt that it doesn't offer the ability, on its own, to predict how many night movements there might be. The airport's request for 1,995 annual quota count points was accompanied by a noise assessment report that suggested that by 2018, if the airport was on target to meet its masterplan predictions, on a "typical" night there would be three aircraft movements between 11.30pm and 6am.

Protesters were quick to point out that, if it were the least noisy planes involved, that there could be greatly increased numbers of aircraft movements. Given that frequency of disturbance is just as big an issue as the noise level of individual planes, it is perhaps reasonable that the policy should address the number of movements, as well as the quota count limit.

This view was supported by the independent review, commissioned by your council, of the noise assessment submitted by the airport. Further, it suggested that a lower quota count figure might still support the airport's business aspirations. In light of this, I felt Infratil, the airport owners, should be asked to review the detail of their application. They have agreed to do this and will submit a revised application shortly. I look forward to the resolution of the night-time issue and Manston becoming the thriving regional airport that will boost our local economy.

Cllr Bayford (I presume)