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Mr Lee Boulton
Dear Mr Boulton
THE STOUR AND ORWELL SOCIETY
I write on behalf of the Committee to inform you of the formal constitution on 22nd March, 2007 of the Stour and Orwell Society (“SOS”), a society dedicated to preserving and enhancing the environment of the Stour and Orwell Area of Outstanding National Beauty and the adjoining Additional Project Area. SOS already has 200 Members and intends to campaign actively for the advancement of its objectives. Its patron is Mr Griff Rhys-Jones, who lives in the AONB and whose interest in the environment is well known.
The Stour and Orwell AONB contains many miles of coastline on the Stour and Orwell estuaries, much of it enhanced by parkland and woodland planting as well as wetlands forming a valuable ecological resource. The waters are much in use for sailing and the whole area is used extensively for quiet, informal recreation, and is relied upon as a recreational resource by a much wider area. Inland, Alton Water is one of the largest non-tidal water bodies in East Anglia (14 miles around) and supports quiet, non-motorised sailing and boating activities at one end and a nature reserve at the other. Again, it is used extensively as a resource for quiet recreation by a much wider area. The whole area is criss-crossed by footpaths, giving access to wonderful views across the AONB and the villages and hamlets on the Shotley Peninsula.
Until March 2004, this area was largely unaffected by noise from aircraft inbound and outbound from Stansted and Luton Airports. However, as you will know, all this changed after March 2004 with the implementation of your Airspace Change and it is now rarely possible to go for a walk in our area without the experience being interrupted by aircraft noise. Often, as the noise of one plane dies away, the noise of the next begins. The noise is very often the dominant noise in an otherwise extremely tranquil area and can be highly intrusive.
You will know that, at the time of the consultation on this Airspace Change, no impacts on the Stour and Orwell AONB were predicted or assessed. Indeed, the location of IDESI in the North Sea and its relationship to the ABBOT Hold has led to very frequent overflight of our AONB followed by overflight of the full length of the Dedham Vale AONB. By this means, aircraft overfly the greatest continuous length of AONB that could be found anywhere in East Anglia for those arriving at or departing from Stansted and Luton Airports.
We know that as part of the Court Order of 28th March, 2006, NATS has undertaken specifically to consider the environmental effects of aircraft noise and visual intrusion in the Stour and Orwell AONB both before and after the 2004 airspace change as part of its TCNE project. We write now with two purposes: first, to offer our assistance in supplying information to assist with your consideration of the effects of the 2004 change and, second, to ask that we be informed of the likely date for the commencement of the public consultation on your proposals for airspace over southern East Anglia and to request that we be provided with a copy of the proposals at the earliest possible opportunity. In conclusion, we hope that you will bear in mind when formulating your proposals that AONBs are a national resource and the protection of their environments is a matter of national concern. All public bodies, including CAA, are required by statute to have regard to the interests of AONBs in reaching any decision which might affect these areas. Additionally, the Stour and Orwell Estuaries are designated RAMSAR sites in recognition of their great ecological value; this confers a status of international importance. You will know that the Dedham Vale and Stour and Orwell AONBs sit side by side and cannot sensibly be an appropriate target fort the level of overflying which is currently directed at them – especially in a region where only a tiny proportion of the land mass is designated in this way. We hope and expect that your forthcoming proposals will acknowledge and reflect this. Yours sincerely,
Rodney Chadburn Patron Griff Rhys-Jones E-mail StourandOrwell@btconnect.com |
