Residents of Barton in Fabis have been experiencing noise disruption within the village, after an increase in flight traffic from East Midlands Airport.
They’ve noticed that the number of flights going in and out of the airport has increased from pre-Covid times, and they are yet to understand why.
Dr Marion Potschin, 59, a Barton resident says she started to notice the noise more after returning from a break away with her husband around September 28.
She said: “The flights keep coming and going, this is completely different to what it was before (Covid).”
Marion has a sensitivity to air flight noise as she previously lived next to an airport when she lived in Germany.
“Because I have my background (with airport noise) it sends off all the alarm bells.
“It is my fear coming up,” added Marion.
After the noise started to disrupt Marion’s life more, she wrote to East Midlands Airport and received a response within three days.
The airport said that Marion’s property was under ‘Runway 9’, meaning her property was likely to be overflown by departures when the airport is operating easterly.
Due to the disruption of COVID-19, freight flights – planes majorly dedicated to carrying cargo – now make up the proportion of the airport’s operation, with a decrease in passenger flights.
Additionally, in response to Marion, they provided her with a Noise Action Plan, stating the steps the airport plans to take to minimise noise disturbance.
Some steps they look to take include fining their aircrafts which exceed their recently reduced noise limits, a wide range of operational procedures to ensure aircraft operates quietly and other procedures with the aim to reduce noise.
Marion added: “I was pleased they got back to me as it only took a few days.
“They really tried to show what happened on the day (air traffic on September 28), but I also felt it didn’t really answer my question.
“I need to understand what the process is (for the increased flights) or what the future is.
“If it is only an hour, I won’t expose myself to the noise.”
Another resident added: “The last six months we’ve noticed an increase in air traffic.
“Lots of low, very noisy planes I have to wait for them to go over before continuing work calls.
“When researched online, they’ve looked like training flights, as loop continuously around the airport.”
Marion alongside other residents plans to continue to seek further answers and assurances around the noise levels.
