Gatwick proposes aircraft noise cap
for second runway

London Gatwick airport has announced plans to set a cap on aircraft noise levels if its second runway is bought into use.

To appease local residents and environmental campaigners, the airport has unveiled new proposals which would guarantee that noise levels would be lower when the second runway reaches full capacity (expected to be 2038) than in 2019.

Gatwick has said it would use next generation, more sustainable aircraft to achieve the proposal, “because new ‘next generation’ aircraft – which are quieter – will increasingly replace older, noisier planes in the coming years, outweighing any increase in noise generated by bringing the airport’s Northern Runway into routine use”.

The south London airport has also announced it plans to increase the number of households eligible for its ‘Noise Insulation Scheme’.

Head of Noise and Airspace at Gatwick Airport, Andrew Sinclair said:

“We fully recognise that we need to carefully balance any benefits that the routine use of the Northern Runway will deliver, including over 18,000 new jobs, with the impact our plans may have on people living close to the airport.

“That is why, as part of our Northern Runway consultation we’re proposing to put a binding cap on noise generated at the airport and we would build on this by rolling out a significantly improved noise insulation package for residents living close to the airport.”

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