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Longford is a quiet village that could be mistaken for any other across the country if not for one overwhelming feature: the constant roar of jet engines. Situated just to the west of Heathrow Airport, Longford faces a unique challenge due to its close proximity to one of the world’s busiest airports. The community’s concerns are mounting, as changes connected to Heathrow’s future expansion threaten both the village’s environment and its very existence.
The long-term worry for residents centers around Heathrow’s proposed third runway, which, if built, would likely lead to the destruction of Longford entirely. However, their fears are not limited to this prospect. Recent alterations to runway usage, specifically the removal of the Cranford agreement, are expected to bring more disturbances well before the new runway arrives. The Cranford agreement, an informal arrangement dating back to 1952, previously prevented aircraft from taking off to the east from the northern runway, thus shielding the village of Cranford from heavy noise pollution. With this agreement now scrapped, Heathrow plans to introduce “eastern alternation,” meaning that aircraft will sometimes take off from the southern runway as well as the northern one during easterly operations. This change is poised to bring increased noise and air pollution to Longford, directly adjacent to the runways.
Trevor Gordon, a concerned resident, expresses deep apprehension over the imminent changes. He points out the proximity of aircraft during take-offs, stating, “How can you live with aircraft 250m away if it happens? It’s ridiculous.” Gordon highlights the intensity of noise and pollution, recalling busy summer periods when queues of planes can mean dozens of engines running simultaneously. He believes Longford will become “uninhabitable” due to this noise and pollution, lamenting the decline of local amenities over time, including the loss of two pubs and a squash club, as the community struggles against expanding airport demands.
More broadly, Christian Hughes, chair of the Longford Residents Association, stresses the impacts on both Longford and nearby Cranford. He points out that the cessation of the Cranford agreement will dramatically increase noise and pollution in both villages. Hughes cites studies showing ultra-fine particle pollution during take-offs could exceed World Health Organization recommended hourly limits by up to 14.5 times. Beyond Longford, changes in flight paths will shift noise burdens regionally, decreasing over areas like Windsor but increasing in others such as Hounslow. Hughes voices frustration about the lack of transparency and public awareness surrounding the airport’s economic justification and environmental effects, emphasizing that these issues extend well beyond “not in my backyard” attitudes.
Heathrow Airport has responded by proposing the construction of a noise barrier between seven and nine meters high aimed at mitigating disturbances for residents, specifically in Longford. A spokesperson highlighted that the introduction of easterly alternation is intended to provide “predictable noise respite” by sharing aircraft noise more evenly throughout the year, similar to current practices during westerly operations. However, for villages like Longford, the changes still represent a substantial and unsettling shift. Meanwhile, many homes in Longford have been acquired by the Aurora Hotel Group and are rented out, reflecting ongoing uncertainty residents face about the village’s future. Ian Matthews, a local, sums it up by saying, “You’re not sure what to expect because we are not being given sufficient information about what’s being discussed behind closed doors.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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