Heathrow Expansion Page 3

3 New flight paths (both with ‘early growth’ in 2022-26 and with a third runway, after 2026)

3.1. The present consultation says nothing specific about flight paths, which was the subject of the previous consultation. In 2022 there will be a further consultation about flight paths to the expanded airport, if the expansion is permitted.

3.2. However, both the previous consultation and this one have made it clear that new technology already makes it possible for the approach to landing to be steeper than before, and that more precise methods of locating aircraft enables new shorter routes to be taken from holding areas towards the start of the final approach for landing. Flights will therefore be taking new paths, affecting wider areas, as the previous consultation made clear.

3.3. Let’s look at the ‘early growth’ scenario, for example. On alternate days the northern of the existing two runways will be the one used in ‘mixed mode’, and if - as is usual - the wind comes from the west, arriving flights will land from the east. Then, the route for incoming transatlantic flights from their holding area to the north west of London could be shortened by flying on a curved alignment over Brent, Bayswater and Kensington on the way to joining the final approach. It remains to be seen, in 2022, whether concentrated or dispersed flight paths will be chosen. Once runway three is in operation, transit over the same areas will become day-long.

4. Further steps.

4.1. The consultation documents include a formal notification of Heathrow’s intention to seek in 2020 planning consent for physically expanding the airport. There will then almost certainly be a public enquiry on the application. Heathrow aim to have consent by the end of 2021, but this seems optimistic, as the public enquiry on Terminal Five lasted five years. SEBRA in its response will notify its intention to put in an objection to this planning application.

4. 2. The grounds of South East Bayswater Resident Association (SEBRA)’s objection will be similar to those that you may wish to deploy yourself, see our guidance below: massive and widespread increases in aircraft noise and in emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases, both in the air and on the ground. Add to this the very likely incompatibility of Heathrow’s big expansion with the urgent action needed to deal with the climate crisis and thereby achieve by 2050 net zero carbon emissions, for the UK as a whole.

4.3. On noise, you may wish to make specific objection to the very early start of flights. in the morning and to the proposal that - once a third runway is in operation - respite from very early morning noise would only be on one day in four - see section B below.

4.4. Our guidance to navigating the on-line consultation is in section B below, and our suggestions for your answers are in section C that follows.