Further to my last comments about the work Heathrow is doing to consult with local communities about their operations, I can now provide the following information.
Heathrow's consultation into Airspace and Future Operations will run from 8 January until 4 March 2019. This will provide the chance to contribute to Heathrow's plans for future airspace use and on their proposals for how the airport will operate. The consultation is the next stage in the process to redesign the airspace for an expanded Heathrow. The consultation will refer to the airspace design principles determined through an earlier consultation and subsequent engagement and will outline the geographic areas (known as "design envelopes") within which flightpaths could be positioned.
This is part of the Government's wider Airspace Modernisation Strategy aiming to make airspace more efficient by improving punctuality; cutting CO2 emissions; better managing noise by using multiple routes; reducing holding aircraft at low levels; and ensuring capacity to meet future demand.
As part of this, Heathrow is looking for feedback on how they might operate the runways in the future should they be granted consent for expansion. This will cover issues such as runway alternation and night flights.
The consultation will also set out proposed changes for the existing two runways. They will be consulting on an arrivals procedure known as independent parallel approaches ("IPA") to enable more efficient use of the current two runways.
In addition Heathrow is also planning specific consultation on a departure route known as 'Compton'. This will be separate to the main consultation. They are looking to redesign the route and so we will be asking for feedback on local factors they should take into account when doing so. More information will be available in the spring.
The nearest locations to attend a consultation are:
MAIDENHEAD
Thursday 7 February, 2-8pm
Nicholsons Shopping Centre,
Nicholsons Lane,
Maidenhead,
SL6 1LB
WINDSOR
Friday 8 February, 2-8pm
Windsor Youth and Community Centre,
Alma Road,
Windsor,
SL4 3HD
WOKING
Saturday 16 February, 10am-4pm
Tringham Hall, Benner Lane,
West End, Woking,
GU24 9JP
