Heathrow blight and noise assistance schemes

BAA Heathrow has now published details of two schemes designed to protect the local area from property blight arising from the Government’s proposals for a possible new runway at Heathrow Airport.

As you are aware, the Government asked BAA Heathrow to safeguard an area for a potential third runway. This is the area covered by the first scheme: the Property Market Support Bond.

There is also a second scheme – the Home Owners Support Scheme. This will assist property owners in the area which would be newly subjected to high noise levels should the plan for a third runway go ahead.

We have also now published details of two new schemes to assist property owners who are affected by high levels of noise resulting from current airport operations – the first will assist eligible residents with relocation costs and the second provides for noise insulation in community buildings.

Plans to deal with existing noise: As part of its new aviation policy (launched in December 2003), the Government asked airports to look at giving voluntary assistance to people living in areas where there are high levels of noise.

In the autumn of 2004, we consulted with our local communities on some proposals for this kind of scheme. The consultations proposed that BAA Heathrow would provide noise insulation for schools, hospitals and other noise-sensitive buildings within the 63 decibel (averaged over 16 hours) noise contour.

They also proposed that BAA Heathrow would offer financial assistance for eligible residential property owners within the 69 decibel (averaged over 16 hours) noise contour, if they wished to move.

Following the consultations, we made a number of improvements to both of these sets of proposals and we have now published the final schemes.

Heathrow Relocation Assistance Scheme

Community Buildings Noise Insulation Scheme