Biggin Hill Airport

Aircraft from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London City and London Biggin Hill airports fly over the borough. In most cases, the aircraft do not give rise to complaints unless they are lower or louder than normal or are larger than people are used to.

Aircraft in flight are exempt from normal environmental protection legislation which means that the council cannot take legal action against individual aircraft or pilots. If you have a complaint about aircraft noise, you should generally direct to it the airport where you think the aircraft was operating from. They have a duty to investigate your complaint and respond to you.

Bromley Council takes an active interest in noise disturbance that residents may experience from aircraft. We encourage Biggin Hill Airport to minimise noise disturbance and the airport is committed to doing so. 

When Biggin Hill Airport applied to extend its operating hours, it agreed to a noise action plan and management information letter that contained a number of key noise abatement commitments. These include:

Operate and maintain a noise a track keeping system           

As part of their commitment in the NAP, Biggin Hill Airport installed Bruel & Kjaer’s WebTrak system. Using radar, and incorporating static noise monitors that are calibrated annually, the WebTrak system is used to monitor flights into and out of Biggin Hill Airport. Members of the public can visit the noise and track keeping system on Biggin Hill Airport's website to identify aircraft that they believe have caused a noise disturbance and report it to Biggin Hill Airport. The system also automatically logs aircraft encroaching a noise sensitive area for investigation.

Produce regular noise contours

Biggin Hill Airport employs Bickerdike Allen Partners to create quarterly noise contours that express pictorially how areas around Biggin Hill Airport experience noise levels. These, along with an explanation of how they are created, can be found in the airport consultative committee minutes . In 2003, a government white paper set 57 dB LAeq,16h as a noise level that triggered significant community annoyance. This level was chosen against which to measure Biggin Hill Airport’s noise disturbance. An area limit for this level of noise covering 4.3km2 is set for the daytime period (07:00-23:00), and Biggin Hill Airport committed to a reasonable endeavours area of 2.9km2. The reasonable endeavours limit for the early morning period (06:30-07:00) is 2.2km2, while the reasonable endeavours limit for the late-night period (22:00-23:00) is 1.3km2. The full reasoning behind these limits is explained in full in the noise action plan.

Undertake community noise surveys

In addition to its two static noise monitors, Biggin Hill Airport also has a mobile noise monitor. This can be seconded to the homes of Bromley residents to record real time noise levels and create a specific image of noise disturbance in that locality. If you would like the Biggin Hill Noise monitor to be deployed at your property, please contact Biggin Hil Airport.

Implement a scheme to restrict circuit training

Circuit training is prohibited before 09:00 and after 17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during British Summer Time. This stipulation does not apply to all flight training, but specifically to circuits.

Restrict movement at Biggin Hill Airport to aircraft meeting agreed noise limits

Aircraft using Biggin Hill Airport must meet Chapter 3 ICAO requirements. Aircraft using Biggin Hill Airport between 06:30 and 07:00 must meet Chapter 4 ICAO requirements. They must also generate less than 86 db(A) SEL (arrivals) or 96 db(A) SEL (departures) at the northern noise monitor or 92 db(A) SEL (Arrivals) and 94 db(A) SEL (Departures) at the southern noise monitor.

Manage compliance with noise preferential routes

Noise preferential routes are procedures set by Biggin Hill Airport which aircraft must follow when taking off from the airport. These are separate to noise sensitive areas, though these routes do endeavour to avoid NSAs. It is Biggin Hill Airport’s responsibility to ensure pilots flying out of the airport are aware of the need to follow these routes. If the pilots do not follow these routes it is Biggin Hill Airport’s responsibility to take disciplinary action. This can range from sending warning letters to instigating airport bans.

Residential sound insulation scheme

In accordance with the noise action plan, Biggin Hill Airport agreed to instate a residential sound insulation scheme. This is available for homes where “the airborne noise level created by aircraft using LBHA is in excess of 90 dB SEL at an annualised daily average frequency of once or greater during the night-time period (2300 to 0700 local time)”. For more information contact Biggin Hill Airport.