Airport expansions are a topic that divides opinion.

For those of us who live close to the runway or on a busy flight path they are a real headache. But with any growth to infrastructure comes a boost to employment and tourism.
Airport expansions happen in order to meet the demand for more flights both into the UK and out, while others are simply an upgrade on their current facilities – much like Leeds Bradford who plan on demolishing their 1960s terminal and replacing it with a modern facility, which will increase passenger numbers by a projected 3.1 million.
Expansions create a surge in employment due to the size of the workforce needed to complete the project which take years. Doncaster Sheffield airport unveiled their £10 million plans to expand in January, which will create 33,000 jobs. They also provide the opportunity to increase tourism as it allows airports to increase the amount of flights.
For example, if Gatwick’s plans to expand are approved, they could see 28 million more passengers each year. While these plans are necessary in order to meet tourism demands, what are the effects of the extra flight paths on local residents?

Flight paths cause nuisance The increase in flight paths see many negatives effects on those who live near airports – both health related and financial. Heathrow’s plans for a third terminal, which were ruled illegal in February, had residents fearing that the value of their homes may decrease drastically. CHATR is undertaking a survey of estate agents in West London to establish a final figure in the drop in house prices – current estimations propose a decline by 20-25%.
There is an abundance of research that shows there are a multitude of health problems caused or worsened by living near an airport. In particular, a study from the Imperial College London and Kings College London back in 2013 found that risks of hospital admissions and deaths from stroke and heart disease were 10-20% more likely in areas with the highest level of aircraft noise. But what are the long-term effects of continued exposure?

Health implications High blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and circulatory diseases are a few of the health risks that have been linked to continued exposure of high levels of aircraft noise. A study carried out in Poland in 2016 found that long-term exposure is associated with hypertension and organ damage. It discovered that those living in an area of high aircraft noise had 16% more hypertension than those living in an area with low aircraft noise. Hypertension left uncontrolled can lead to further complications such as stroke and even a heart attack. The research also indicated that higher levels of aircraft noise leads to aortic valve stenosis. This is when the aorta narrows and becomes stiff, which reduces the blood flow from your heart to the rest of your body.

How Echo Barriers can help Our acoustic barriers help reduce the noise caused by construction sites – such as an airport expansion by up to 97%. Although we cannot reduce the noise caused by increased flight numbers, we can reduce the noise pollution caused by the building.
Our barriers are made scientifically by leading acoustic engineers.
Find our range of noise reduction barriers here: https://www.echobarrier.co.uk/noise-reduction-barriers/