DO YOU VALUE YOUR PEACE AND QUIET?
This site is for people living in rural communities in West Suffolk and South and East Cambridgeshire who value their peace and quiet. All this could change if the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) proposals for aircraft arriving at Stansted are implemented in spring 2009.
WHAT IS SOPAQ?
SOPAQ stands for Save Our Peace and Quiet. It is an action group set up by like-minded residents in West Suffolk and East Cambs who are concerned about the NATS proposals and want to make people in the area aware of their potential impact on the rural tranquillity we all enjoy.
WHAT ARE THE NATS PROPOSALS?
NATS has 4 proposals for aircraft leaving and arriving at London’s airports. The plan for western arrivals into Stansted will have the greatest impact on West Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire. Under the proposals an aircraft holding zone (called a stack) for aircraft that are in a queue waiting to land at Stansted will be positioned over this area. Planes will circle at intervals of 1000ft in a race track pattern from a height of 7000ft. It takes 4 minutes for an aircraft to complete one circuit. Aircraft leaving the stack could fly as low as 4000ft. Aircraft can leave the stack at any point but there is a P-RNAV route, (short for Precision Area Navigation) which allows an aircraft to take a direct route from the holding area to Stansted. Villages under this ‘red route’ will find that they are significantly overflown.
The following villages are under or near the red exit line: Dalham, Moulton, Gazeley, Higham, Denham, Barrow, Ousden, Lidgate, Wickhambrook, Cowlinge, Stradishall, Hundon.
The consultation period for the 4 proposals is currently underway and can be viewed online at http://www.consultation.nats.co.uk/ Copies of the consultation document have also been placed in local libraries. The consultation period ends on 22nd May 2008, now extended to 19th June. If the proposals go ahead they will be implemented in spring 2009.
SOPAQ 