Don't Lose Sleep Over It

Residents living under the flight path of Bournemouth airport could face sleepless nights as of next summer.

Planning permission for the expansion of the airport was granted by Christchurch Borough Council in 2007 and an annual quota for night flights was introduced which restricts the amount of noise from the airport.

Bournemouth airport currently sees only a few night flights but, as long as the limit is not surpassed, the airport can schedule night flights at its discretion.

The airport has gone out to public consultation on a Noise Action Plan and Annette Brooke, MP for mid Dorset and North Poole, has set up a petition against more night flights.

“We have hundreds and hundreds of signatures,” she said. “The airport could actually treble, or even more, the night flights, without needing any permission.”

A meeting at Bearwood Community Centre in Bournemouth was held this Saturday between affected residents, Annette Brooke and Broadstone Cllr Mike Brooke to discuss any further reasons for complaint about additional night flights to be put forward to the airport.

Annette Brooke said, “We feel it’s really important to get the views to the airport because the theory is that if a company such as Ryanair suddenly fell out with the airport they are operating with now and moved lock, stock and barrel to Bournemouth, then Bournemouth would actually have all the planning permissions in place to take a lot more flights.”

However, the expansion of the airport is set to bring with it additional jobs, a boost in the local economy, a wider choice of holiday destination and the opportunity for easier travel for local people.

Annette Brooke acknowledged this saying, “It’s not a problem for everybody, almost everybody appreciates having the airport in the area and they see it as very important for the local economy and lots of people, particularly the elderly, use the airport and it’s very convenient for them.”

The newly proposed timetables show flights taking off and landing at 1 and 4am, which will disturb residents, who haven’t been disturbed at night since the Second World War, all for commercial reasons.





Suggested web links:
http://www.annettebrooke.org.uk/
http://www.bournemouthairport.com/bohweb.nsf