Health impacts of aircraft noise - a UK communities' perspective

Abstract

UK Air Navigation Guidance regards 51dB LAeq16hr for day time noise and 45dB Lnight for night time noise as the levels at which aircraft noise annoyance occurs. WHO guidelines (2018) concluded that health effects can occur at lower levels of 45 dB Lden and 40 dB Lnight. Current policy recognises that noise annoyance can occur below 51dBLAeq yet it is not known how many people around UK airports may be adversely affected at these lower levels. This paper will seek to estimate the population size impacted by aircraft noise below 51dB LAeq around Heathrow airport. It will also seek to provide an international comparison of the noise policies of different airports in Europe and globally, the size of the population impacted and the minimum threshold for the onset of health effects. The most radical changes in UK airspace history will take place in the next decade. If more people are adversely impacted by aircraft noise at lower levels then this has significant ramifications for the cost benefit analysis of airspace changes. It is crucial that communities can understand the full health impacts of the proposals.