Airport noise discussions

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 14

Airport noise discussions

The problem of airport noise, and possible changes to existing planning schemes involving land within the environs of the airport, will be discussed bv a sub-committee of the Christchurch City Council’s utilities committee, and representatives of the Paparua County Council.

The committee pro- ' pose* that the subcommittee meet the Waimairi County Council, and the Canterbury Regional Planning Authority, for further dis-] cussions on the same subjects. The committee was told! yesterday that there appeared to be some misunder-' standing in the minds of I some Waimairi councillors; that the new- National Air-( ■ ways Corporation mainten- ! ance and overhaul workshop i

development programme would increase the amount of noise.

At the Paparua County Council’s hearing to approve I the specified departure re-; quired for this development.: a fairly full report was! tabled by the airport authority, and the airline, which said that both were (conscious of their responsibility to the community to > keep night running of air;craft engines to a minimum. The airline said that while ■ every effort would be made (to improve the present low ■level of engine running at ’night, it did not envisage anv increase. The airport manager (Mr A. 1. R. Jamieson) said that care would be taken to see that this prediction was carried out. Mr Jamieson, who retires at the end of September, warned the committee that continued erosion of the green belt was bound to be to the airport’s detriment, and continued vigilance by the City Council was imperative. He told the committee that Christchurch had one of the finest airports to be found anywhere. “Its economic value to Canterbury, and New Zealand, is such that it cannot be restricted, or its operations prejudiced, by unwise planning in the areas near! its boundaries. . “It might be that we will, if necessary, have to buy our immunity if full co-operatiop from surrounding local authorities cannot be freely given. Even so, it would still prove to be a wise and eco-i nomical precaution,” he said.