LETTER: Flight paths over development area

Earlier this year, Alan Taylor’s letter, ‘Flight paths over north Horsham’ drew attention to the impact a second runway at Gatwick could have on noise levels in north Horsham with particular reference to HDC’s proposed development north of the A264.

He suggested that if the most southerly location of a second runway is chosen (which seems likely) the 57dBALeq (being the level of noise most likely to affect residents) will impact on houses in the proposed strategic development.

Laurie Taylor made the same observation in another letter to the paper about the same time.

Dr Geoffrey Richardson wrote on 20th February ‘...there are no maps showing the anticipated Leq contours for an additional runway in the southerly location. Presumably these exist. Simply moving these contours a kilometre south is not a very accurate method of determining how Horsham and particularly the Liberty site would be affected.

The noise pattern will depend upon the mix of aircraft and with more long-haul heavier aircraft the noise level pattern will undoubtedly change compared with existing runway operations… So it is a perfectly reasonable question to ask where these noise contours will lie if a second southern runway is built’.

Stuart Spencer has provided that information and close examination of the map will show the 55-60 Db contour takes in the North Horsham proposed site for housing which may well also be affected by the 60-65 decibel contours.

There have been letters in your paper recently from people who have bought houses on a flight path and learned to live with the noise.

But developers are going to be trying to persuade people looking for a home to buy knowing they will live on a flight path. A rather different marketing proposition – presumably purchasers’ solicitors will show intending customers this map?

ELIZABETH BARTNOVSKAYA

Heath Way, Horsham