| B5 | Sub-topic: ‘Noise’- Question:
‘Tell us what factors are most important as we develop our proposals for noise management, in particular our proposals for the design and implementation of a noise envelope’. Link to question:
https://aec.heathrowconsultation.com/topics/noise/ 
| - The most important aspect is terms of noise is that any initiatives affecting Londoners fully adhere to the WHO noise thresholds for day and night-time noise.
- The noise thresholds proposed by Heathrow are unacceptable. The WHO regards 50dBL as stress level, and the Heathrow stated dB are not even close to meeting the WHO maximum decibel thresholds for aircrafts which are as follows:
- For average noise exposure, the WHO strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft below 45dBL, as aircraft noise above this level is associated with adverse health effects.
- For night noise exposure, the WHO strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft during night time below 40dBl, as night-time aircraft noise above this level is associated with adverse effects on sleep.
- Heathrow does not refer to it in this consultation but in the previous consultation it referred to new and extended areas of London being affected with flights or aircraft overhead at 3,000 feet, possibly generating noise of up to 60 decibels. This means that the noise envelope proposals are unacceptable.
- Heathrow proposes some mitigation, but the measures are unlikely to address the real adverse impact on the London population’s mental health
- It is key that local authorities in London include any Heathrow related planning consent an enforceable condition that the WHO recommended maximum decibel thresholds for day and night-time noise are adhered to.
- In reality I do not expect the proposed mitigations for any adverse impact of increased flights over London will be effective and meet the WHO maximum decibel thresholds, and I am therefore strongly opposed both to the ‘early growth’, from 2002, and to the further expansion from a third runway after 2026.
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