NEW aircraft noise results in Clydebank have revealed levels much worse than Glasgow Airport has previously claimed.

The figures emerged as airport bosses commit £1million to improving sound insulation and conditions for hundreds of homes in Whitecrook.

And the town’s politicians and campaigners have made blunt submissions to the UK Government consultation on the future of air travel in the country that will directly affect Clydebank.

The recently approved planning applications for the first new homes in the Queens Quay development included a noise survey by NEC Ltd.

It found aircraft noise levels at the site of 61dBA when the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended maximum is 45dBA.

But according to Glasgow Airport’s often-criticised noise contours map, those levels aren’t seen beyond a small wedge over homes in Whitecrook.

That contour map is based on levels calculated from Drumchapel. Whitecrook campaigners have renewed calls for noise monitoring equipment in Whitecrook.

Tam Brady, secretary of the Whitecrook Aircraft Noise Association (WANA), said there should be a three-year study recording noise funded by the airport and West Dunbartonshire Council, costing £5,000 per year. He said he would offer to raise funds towards this.

Read more: Former head teachers said aircraft noise affected pupils

The airport’s own noise compensation package would have to greatly expand with figures of 61dB over Queens Quay with thousands more homes needing new windows and insulation.

But airport bosses said the 61dB figure is just from a six-day survey and their contours are developed over 90 days.

This has been a sore point for campaigners who point out average levels include periods of silence when there are no planes, as opposed to levels when there are.

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: “We commissioned the Civil Aviation Authority to produce contours using their standard industry model (ANCON) and Department for Transport noise measurements.

“At the end of October last year Glasgow Airport published its Noise Insulation Plan following a 13-week public consultation. This included the introduction of an enhanced noise insulation policy which will benefit hundreds of households local to the airport.

“We are currently working with West Dunbartonshire Council’s housing services to develop a pilot programme to determine the most effective insulation measures for a range of different property types with support from MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Gil Paterson.” Mr Paterson, who has been pushing the airport for the compensation scheme, has also submitted to the UK’s Aviation 2050 consultation.

He retrofitted a property in Whitecrook to show the dramatic improvement loft insulation and triple-glazed windows could make to noise levels. It helped push the airport to agree a programme for about 500 homes in Whitecrook.

Read more: Whitecrook residents fear aircraft noise ‘health risk’

The MSP said the WHO guidance should reduce the eligibility threshold for compensation and insulation under the fligthpath.

He told the UK Government: “The precedence for this approach is the recent reduction in qualifying aircraft noise levels from 66dBAs to 63dBAs in 2018 directed by UK ministers and the current government’s proposal to reduce them further to 60dBAs as part of this Aviation 2050 Consultation.

“In addition, the UK Government should introduce housing regulations that satisfies the aspiration of WHO safe aircraft noise levels at 40dBAs for new build dwellings under flightpaths and extend provisions within building warrant requirements for alterations to under flightpath properties to achieve similar insulation levels.

“These actions would future proof new buildings and progressively reduce the necessity for investment in existing residential properties at a later date.

“These actions will also be the most economic way of dealing with aircraft noise mitigation and reducing the potential health issues faced by people living under aircraft flightpaths.”

West Dunbartonshire’s MP, Martin Docherty-Hughes, told the government in his response there needed to be a guarantee that noise levels will fall.

And he warned the “vague” proposals don’t make the industry accountable for the costs it imposes on communities.

He told them: “The guidance should include levels of insulation that should be offered to people within the 54 and 51 decibel contours.

“For airspace changes which lead to significantly increased flights overhead, a new minimum threshold of an increase of 3dB LAeq is introduced to be eligible for compensation – this is a very important proposal and one that will be welcomed by my constituents.

“A number of my constituents who have contacted me have moved to the area in recent years and were not fully aware of the level of aircraft flying overhead so I welcome the proposal to provide more information to those moving into areas under a flight path.”

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Campaigners WANA have repeatedly demanded a voluntary ban on night flights, something never considered when Glasgow Airport was first growing decades ago.

Mr Docherty-Hughes echoed the call and said night-time should offer “some respite” from constant air traffic.

He added: “An assessment of the value of night flights to the national and local economies needs to be carried out. There may be economic value in some intercontinental and freight flights but the majority of the night flights at most UK airports are holiday flights which may well be run for the benefit of the operator rather than the economy.”

- The UK Government survey has been extended to June 20, 2019 if you would like to have your say on the future of the industry and how it affects Clydebank.

Visit gov.uk/government/consultations/aviation-2050-the-future-of-uk-aviation