Noise and environmental pollution from increased private jet traffic using Farnborough Airport. 

The main document and appendices are linked separately from the CAA portal – for convenience the individual links are listed below. 

  

Sponsor's Post-Implementation Review analysis:  15th May 2023

  

1. Main document 

2. Annex A Traffic Dispersion and Environmental Overflight Diagrams Items 34 and 49

3. Annex B Operational Feedback Engagement Items 37 and 55

4. Annex C Safety and Infringements Items 19 and 28

5. Annex D Stakeholder Feedback and Complaints Item 58

6. Appendix to Annex D

7. Annex E General Aviation and Glider Study

  

Annex D is ‘Stakeholder Feedback and Complaints’ with the Appendix to Annex D publishing redacted versions of the complaints received from Churt residents and other communities.The conclusions included in this report on complaints are:

  

1. Complaints during the data gathering period show an increase over the historic pre Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) numbers and are reflective of a change taking place.

2. It has not been possible to infer if this increase was influenced by the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the abrupt stopping, and subsequent resumption, of air traffic overflight. It is possible that perception of noise and awareness was heightened because of a cessation of air traffic for a significant period in 2020.

3. It is evident that there are now more people in the local area that are aware of the noise generated by flights into and out of the airport, or that those who were already aware are undertaking additional complaint submission.

4. The ability for stakeholders to present feedback (separate from the complaint process) on this ACP was widely publicised and encouraged by FAL and a small number of stakeholders made use of this facility.

5. No information in any of the emails provided evidence of an impact that had not been foreseen and articulated in the previous documentation/consultations during the CAP725 process.

6. In the consultations we illustrated where we predicted areas of flightpath narrowing were most likely to occur, we received consultation feedback, we amended the airspace design, we provided appropriate charts and diagrams of our subsequent predictions and we have now compared those predictions with actual flight data in the separate document ‘Annex A Farnborough PIR Traffic Dispersion and Environmental Overflight Diagrams’.

7. The number of complaints has increased from before the implementation of this ACP. The feedback and complaints received during the data gathering period reflect the impacts on those overflown.

8.  There is no positive feedback from places where previous regular overflight was reduced or removed.

  

Now that the PIR has been published into the public domain, it means that anyone can provide feedback and a window of 42 days is now open to do so. The deadline for responses to Farnborough Airport’s report is 26th June. Our South West Surrey MP, Jeremy Hunt has committed to provide feedback as a stakeholder within the 42 day window period.

  

Overall, the PIR report is 417 pages. Farnborough Noise Group shared some initial comments in their May newsletter which is linked from this webpage. They have now reviewed the document and their evaluation of the PIR response submitted to the CAA is also linked at the top of this webpage. The local Churt Airspace Change Group have also reviewed the PIR report and their evaluation is also linked at the top of this webpage, as will any other representations made to Churt Parish Council on behalf of local groups.  Following review and discussion of the PIR and both of these evaluations, Churt Parish Council has sent a representation on behalf of the village of Churt to the CAA on 22nd June, following ratification at the June Parish Council meeting.