SSE publishes guidance on NATS consultation

Stop Stansted Expansion is urging all who are affected by proposals to change the airspace arrangements for the region to make clear their views and has published Summary and Guidance notes on its website to help people respond to the consultation by NATS (National Air Traffic Services) before the 22 May deadline.

The NATS proposals will provide relief from overflying for some but many others will be severely affected as flightpaths shift and greater concentrations of noise occur because of precision navigation, in some cases over currently tranquil areas.

The Summary document produced by SSE’s Noise Working Group gives the basic details of what is covered in the voluminous consultation document in relation to the impacts associated with the operations of Stansted Airport’s single runway.

A separate Guidance Note from SSE identifies the points that people should consider making when responding to the consultation before the closing date of 22 May 2008, recognising that there will be both winners and losers if the proposals are implemented as they stand.

The key maps showing the current and proposed arrangements in the context of Stansted’s operations have also been posted on the SSE website for ease of reference, with full links to the main NATS consultation documents.

“It is important for everyone to grasp how they would be affected by the airspace change proposals, whether for better or worse, and to make representations,” said Martin Peachey who chairs SSE’s Noise Working Group. “But more broadly,” he continued, “people need to take on board that a much grimmer picture could emerge if plans to build a second runway at Stansted were to be allowed, tripling aircraft movements to higher levels than at Heathrow today, since this consultation from NATS only covers operations on its single runway. Tackling the root cause of additional aircraft noise by opposing the planning application for a second runway at Stansted is therefore essential.”

ENDS