8000 complaints in two years: Worst 20 suburbs for aircraft noise reports

The city’s worst 20 suburbs for residents filing complaints about aircraft noise have been revealed by a report which has called for “noise sharing’’ to spread the burden. SEE THE LIST

Residents in Balmoral, New Farm and Hawthorne have logged the most complaints about aircraft noise since Brisbane’s new flight paths began in July, 2020, a draft report reveals.

More than 1700 complaints were lodged by fed-up people in the top 20 suburbs.

But the true number was far higher because under reporting rules multiple “contacts’’ were counted only as a single complaint.

That rule change was prompted by Tingalpa’s Charles Bill who complained to ASA 270,000 times after an earlier flight path redesign more than a decade ago.

About 8000 “contacts’’ were lodged in the past two years. The number would likely have been far higher were it not for a collapse in air traffic during Covid restrictions.

Airservices Australia’s draft Post implementation Review (PIR) also conceded authorities got their forecasts wrong about the impacts on some suburbs, including New Farm.

“A noticeable difference in the forecast noise levels, particularly during daytime hours (6am to 6pm) with noise levels above 70 decibels’’ was recorded in the suburb, the report said.

“This is due to a large spread of aircraft altitudes not forecast in the earlier assessments and higher-than-anticipated noise levels for the most frequently used aircraft.’’

Tingalpa’s Charles Bill rang Airservices Australia so many times to complain about planes flying over his Tingalpa home that ASA changed reporting rules. Multiple “contacts’’ are now counted as only one complaint. Picture: Vanessa Hunter

Forecasts were also understated in Carina, where there had been a “slight increase in forecast 70 decibel events) and Tingalpa, although winter noise level predictions in that suburb were close to forecasts.

Cannon Hill’s actual noise turned out to be lower than forecast in a 2007 Environment Impact Statement.

A large number of recommendations were made in the draft report, including working with Amberley air base near Ipswich to increase the number of domestic planes which could take off and land in opposite directions.

New Farm residents Sue Fuller, Paul Ewart, Fred Ropp, Brownwyn Wright and Geoffrey Warrener in 2020 when noise first became a problem in their suburb. Picture: Glenn Hunt/The Australian

Another key recommendation was to increase “noise sharing’’ to reduce the impacts on inner-city suburbs which have taken a hammering.

The controversial move has been slammed by Labor backbencher Henry Pike, who said his constituents in Redlands would cop more overhead flights.

“Respite areas, whereby runway use is alternated between the two runways on different days, providing ‘on days’ and ‘off days’, received limited support,’’ the draft report said.

“This was due to the ‘on day’ impact of having 100 per cent of traffic on one runway, while the other runway was experiencing respite, as opposed to the traffic being shared between the two runways as per current operations.

“The potential for traffic growth over time was also a concern.

“This recommendation will not be progressed.’’

The draft also said redesigning flight paths should be accelerated and that advanced navigation approach procedures could be used for non-jet planes such as turboprops, which residents complained were often far noisier than jets.

The report conceded it had been a mistake not to have extensive public consultation in outlying suburbs such as Samford and Upper Brookfield, where backlash against noise and potential jet fuel contamination of tank water has been fierce.

Top complaints themes

1. Arrival and departures over-the-bay not over-the-city

2. BAC did not stick to its promises by operating over-the-bay

3. Airport should have a curfew

4. Aircraft frequency has increased day and night

5. Very loud aircraft over my house

5. Haven’t experienced this noise and frequency before

6. Change the flight paths

7. Aircraft noise is affecting my health/mental health

8. A380 departures at night

9. Altitude of aircraft too low

Brisbane Airport Corporation said it welcomed the report.

“This report contains significant recommendations for the reduction of noise impacts on Brisbane residents,’’ CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said.

“Some aspects will take time for Airservices Australia to implement due to the complex nature of air traffic design and management and passenger safety, but they represent the best opportunity for improvements for nearby communities.

Brisbane Airport CEO Gert Jan De Graaff. Picture: Tara Croser

“Brisbane Airport supports all four packages of the recommendations.’’

The “packages’’ included transparency over flight path changes, maximising flights over Moreton Bay, limiting flights over suburbs using advanced navigation technology and other measures, as well as optimising the city’s air space.

“Brisbane Airport Corporation will continue engaging with residents, Airservices Australia, CASA (Civil Aviation and Safety Authority) and our airline partners to explore additional opportunities to minimise the impact of flights on Brisbane suburbs.’’

Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance chairman, Marcus Foth, said there was a stark discrepancy between the length of the report (363 pages) and the hollowness of the proposed solutions.

“It’s been more than two years since Brisbane’s flight paths have changed and neither Brisbane Airport nor Airservices have moved an inch towards proposing real solutions,’’ Dr foth said.

“They have not made any compromises or sacrifices and insist on maintaining their 110 flights an hour capacity.

“The proposed changes are either marginal or simply shift the problem to other communities.”

“BFPCA demands actual net reductions. We demand the same protections currently in force in the federal legislation afforded to Sydney communities since the ‘90s must also be applied to Brisbane communities – including a curfew, an airport capacity declaration, a ministerial direction to implement a Long-Term Operating Plan (LTOP), a properly independent Brisbane Airport Community Forum, and the collection of aircraft noise levies to compensate affected communities.”

Residents are can provide feedback on the Airservices Australia website until Sunday, November 20.