Heathrow Airspace and Future Operations Consultation

Like us, you probably received a leaflet through the door regarding a series of consultation events being held between the 8th of January and the 4th of March.

These consultations are being branded as ‘Heathrow Airspace and Future Operations’ but of course is a precursor to the Heathrow Expansion and more specifically the opening of the controversial third runway – currently expected to be completed in 2026.

The next consultation event is happening tomorrow (Friday 25th January) between 2pm and 8pm at Imber Court, Ember Lane, KT8 0BT.

Members of the Heathrow team will be available to answer questions and assist with responding to the consultation. Copies of the consultation documents will also be available.

Prior to the third runway opening Heathrow have announced plans for an additional 68 take-offs and landings every day, this equates to 25,000 per year raising its flight cap by 5.2% to above 500,000 for the first time.

Incidentally, the third runway will increase flights to 780,000 per year or over 2,000 per day (from its current 1,300 per day!)

The consultation will give you the opportunity to have your say on 3 key areas:

Airspace change for an expanded Heathrow: the local factors we should consider in different geographic areas when designing future flight paths.

Airspace change to make better use of our existing two runways: the local factors we should consider in different geographic areas when designing new flight paths for some arrivals on our existing two runways.

Future operations for an expanded Heathrow: how we will operate our three runways in the future, this includes managing noise; respite through runway and airspace alternation; directional preference and night flights.

The consultation covers 6 topics:

Airspace Change

This section of the consultation is about Heathrow’s airspace and the areas where flight paths could be positioned in the future. This section will be of interest to most consultees.

It also looks at how Heathrow can make better use of our existing runways. To do this, Heathrow needs to make changes to the way aircraft arrive at the airport before expansion and the construction of a new runway. The changes we need to make and the areas where flight paths could be positioned are included within this section.

We’re asking three (3) questions on this topic within this consultation and we have provided an interactive map and postcode checker tool to assist you within our online response form – here.

Alternatively, for more information on the topic, click here.

Managing noise at an expanded Heathrow

We appreciate that local communities are concerned about the proposed expansion of Heathrow and its potential noise effects. This section will be of interest to anyone who would like to know more about how we propose to manage noise at an expanded Heathrow.

There is one (1) question, with three (3) parts, on this topic within this consultation which can be responded to via our online response form – here.

Alternatively, for more information on the topic, click here.

Directional preference

We are exploring options to offer communities relief from planes when we have been operating in the same direction for a long time or when communities have been experiencing planes from both Heathrow and other airports.

This section describes our proposals for a new approach to balancing operations between the east and west of the airport.

There is one (1) question, with five (5) parts, on this topic within this consultation which can be responded to via our online response form – here.

For more information on the topic, click here.

Night flights – Early morning arrivals

We are proposing to introduce a scheduled night flight ban at an expanded Heathrow. To help us decide on the proposed timing for the scheduled night flights ban we want to know what you think we should do with our early morning arrivals for an expanded Heathrow.

There is one (1) question, with three (3) parts), on this topic within this consultation which can be responded to via our online response form – here.

For more information on the topic, click here.

Night flights – Other night restrictions

We are proposing to introduce a scheduled night flight ban at an expanded Heathrow. This section describes how we plan to manage noise over the sensitive night period.

Sometimes planes need to operate in the night period when they have not been scheduled to do so. This could be for a number of reasons such as delays that have built up during the day or for a technical fault with an aircraft that needs to be repaired. On this topic, we’re looking for comments or suggestions from you on night flights and restrictions outside of the proposed scheduled night flight ban.

There are one (1) question, with two (2) parts, on this topic within this consultation which can be responded to via our online response form – here.

For more information on the topic, click here.

You can start the Consultation here: https://feedback.heathrowconsultation.com/

I’ve run through the consultation online its fairly informative with some easy to follow videos.

However, as is my view on all such consultations, they appear to deflecting responsibility for decision making onto impacted residents.

One question asked:

“We want to know whether you would prefer us to use one runway for scheduled arrivals from 5.30am (runway time of 5.15am – affecting fewer people), or two runways for scheduled arrivals from the slightly later time of 5.45am(runway time of 5.30am – affecting more people than the previous option). ”

I’m sure if you lived closer to Heathrow you’d quite like it if they weren’t arriving so early in the first place – but with the strength of the consultation behind them they can say:

“Ah but xx% of respondents said this was their preferred option”

If you are unable to attend any of the consultation events (they continue in different locations up until February 23rd) you can find all the information and take part in the consultation on the website:

https://www.heathrowconsultation.com/

You can also email comments to:

info@heathrowconsultation.com

Or call their freephone number Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm:

0800 307 7996

The deadline for submitting feedback is 11:55pm on the 4th of March 2019.

This consultation is part of the longer term planning process for the Heathrow Expansion to 3 runways.

Later on this year (June) they will be holding a second consultation on their preferred masterplan for Heathrow expansion, including the physical infrastructure changes and how they will manage the effects of our growth at the airport.

Planning process timelines:

Future operations (How we will use the runways):

• Jan-Mar 2018: Stage One Consultation, Airport Expansion Consultation
• Jan-Mar 2019: Stage Two Consultation Airspace and Future Operations Consultation
• 2019: Stage Three Consultation Airport Expansion Consultation, New runway and physical infrastructure changes needed for expansion
• 2020 Submission: Submission of Development Consent Order (DCO) application
• 2020 Examination: Examination of DCO application
• 2021 Decision: Decision made by the Secretary of State
• 2021 Construction: Compulsory acquisition and construction starts

Airspace change for expansion (The routes aircraft will fly):

• Jan-Mar 2018: Stage One Consultation, Airspace Principles Consultation
• Jan-Mar 2019: Stage Two Consultation, Airspace and Future Operations Consultation (Airspace design envelopes)
• 2022: Stage Three Consultation, Flight path options
• 2023: Submit proposals for airspace change to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
• 2023: Decision made by CAA
• 2024: New flight paths are implemented

Airspace change for our existing two runways (Independent Parallel Approaches – IPA):

• Sep-Dec 2018: Engagement, Airspace design principles
• Jan-Mar 2019: Stage One Consultation, Independent Parallel Approaches Consultation (Airspace design envelopes)
• 2020: Stage Two Consultation, Flight path options
• 2021: Submit proposals for airspace change to the CAA
• 2022: Decision made by the CAA, new flight paths are implemented

You can read more about the Heathrow Expansion here: https://www.heathrowexpansion.com/

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