Mr. Anthony D. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends o designate East Midlands airport under section 80 for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, in order to impose restrictions on night flying there. [63190]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Secretary of State was asked by North West Leicestershire district council (and by others) to designate this airport in order to impose night restrictions using the powers by which operational noise is currently regulated at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
I have written to the council to inform them that the Secretary of State has decided, after careful consideration, not to designate the airport. Following local discussions, the airport management has produced its own proposals, to which it is committed, for the control of noise including night noise. The Secretary of State is satisfied that these controls are sufficient in all the circumstances of the case, including the broad long-standing policy that noise controls should be settled locally where possible, such that designation is not appropriate for the present.
I encourage East Midlands airport, as well as other airports, to continue discussions in consultation with local stakeholders, and to keep their noise control regulations under review with the aim of minimizing noise nuisance from the airport's legitimate operations.