Vale residents win aircraft deal

Tranquil landscape in Dedham Vale painted by John Constable

Environmental concerns must be taken into account before any changes are made to aircraft flight patterns over Constable country.

The High Court ruled in favour of residents taking action against the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The court ruled that airspace managers must take account of any environmental impact on Dedham Vale which crosses Essex and Suffolk.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said he now expects compliance.

Conditions on flightpaths

Airspace management is the responsibility of the CAA and the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and their planning of flightpaths is influenced by government guidelines on environmental objectives.

During a three-day hearing Dedham Vale residents accused the CAA of ruining the peace and tranquility of the countryside painted so often by John Constable by allowing "dramatic and unexpected" changes to aircraft flight patterns.

John Steel QC, acting for the residents, told Mr Justice Newman the parties had agreed to settle if conditions were imposed on the CAA and NATS.

The final agreement said that when considering any reorganisation of airspace, managers would have regard to environmental effects on the Dedham Vale areas of outstanding natural beauty in terms of aircraft noise and visual intrusions.

Dedham Vale is on the flightpath to airports at Stansted, Luton and Heathrow as well as to RAF stations.