Neighbours angered by Hood noise projections

A group of Masterton people have broken their silence over what they say are rubbish claims by Masterton District Council over noise problems at Hood Aerodrome.
Megan Flynn, Neil Winter and Brent Robertson have spoken out on the impact new noise contours will have on those living in South Road, and further afield and claim the council has not met its obligations to tell people what is happening.
The trio believe the council has failed to properly research the goings-on at Hood, have failed to consult properly with those likely to be affected and have come out with nonsensical projections over the aerodromes future use that will have serious repercussions on many homeowners.
Mrs Flynn said consultants have come up with "unrealistic" figures that maintain there will be 56,000 aircraft movements a year from Hood by the year 2028.
"That is huge, roughly one plane every four minutes over a 12 hour day. Imagine the carbon footprint."
The group say that most people are totally unaware that the proposed Combined Wairarapa District Plan has any issues relating to the aerodrome.
"A new emergency runway is suggested with the flight path directly over the new Solway Fields subdivision.
"There is rezoning from urban to rural special for some properties in the lower part of South Road and the creation of noise contours that cover many properties, including some on the other side of the Waingawa River."
Mr Winter said around 90 ratepayers living in the Cornwall Road/ East Taratahi area have "no idea" noise boundaries are going to affect their properties.
The contours are lines drawn on a map that the South Road objectors claim results in building restrictions being put on properties covered by the contours.
Mrs Flynn said these restrictions involve such things as insulation and double-glazing "which is in the new building code anyway and are therefore unnecessary", restrictions on materials that can be used for construction, engineers reports before permits are issued " if a permit is issued at all."
She said apart from that once the contours are in place the council has an opportunity to impose further restrictions.
Mrs Flynn said her family have lived in South Road since 1965.
"We have always enjoyed living near the aerodrome and noise has never bothered us.
"We are really concerned at the proposed building restrictions because of a perceived noise problem."
The group claim when a second consultant's report was being prepared they had asked council if they could be consulted.
"They did not want us involved."
Mr Winter said the first consultant's report was inaccurate and they had felt that the first step in a new consultant's report would be to make sure actual figures of aircraft movements were obtained.
"There has been no recording of actual takeoffs and landings and the projected figures out to the year 2028 are crap."
They claim the system for recording aircraft movements at Hood only covers planes visiting from other airfields and relies on someone being at the airfield to manually record what is going on.
Noise meters should be used to determine the noise levels of various aircraft and how loud the impact would be on the individual properties along the South Road extension.
If noise was an issue then council should work with aircraft users to see what could be done & " putting restrictions on landowners doesn't take the noise away."
The group said they understand Hood is listed as a " strategic asset."
As people affected by the changes council wants to make they feel the council is obligated to consult with them, but so far there has been no consultation.
Mr Winter said it makes him wonder how many other issues the council is not telling ratepayers about, including the proposed Eagle Air service to Auckland.
Next Friday the group is putting a submission to those dealing with the proposed Combined Wairarapa District Plan.
They want others who live close to the aerodrome to contact council to ask if their properties will be affected also.
Mrs Flynn said the trio hope the commissioners would realise the council's projections for Hood are unrealistic and heed their complaints.
"If they don't then we will be mounting a case to take to the Environment Court."