Housing schemes blocked by airport expansion plans
06.09.08
Two appeals involving the development of land close to Birmingham Airport have been rejected because of the potential for future occupiers to be affected by aircraft noise, planning reports. The schemes would have involved the construction of 16 apartments and between 55 houses.
The masterplan for the expansion of the airport projects a threefold increase in passenger numbers requiring a total of 205,000 air transport movements by 2030 compared with 109,000 in 2006. Various noise measurements and calculations were undertaken by the appellants and the council and the former placed weight on the effectiveness of a new 12m high bund which they claimed would attenuate noise levels.
However, despite these measures, a planning inspector ruled that in 2030 the whole of the planning site would be subject to a level of noise exposure where permission should not normally be given unless material considerations weighed firmly in favour of the development.
The occupants would be subject to unacceptable levels of noise during the day and night, and only the use of mechanical ventilation would ensure that the future occupiers could secure a peaceful night’s sleep. This, he ruled, would be unacceptable and the appeals were dismissed.
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