Residents of a village south-west of Heathrow Airport said that rumbling and noise caused by planes have damaged their homes and affected their quality of life.
The village of Stanwell Moor sits partially under a flight path of Heathrow Airport, where residents have reported rattling windows and doors and cracked ceilings caused by the rumbling of planes.
Head of IT Support, Varinder Mann, who lives on Spout Lane, said he was burgled in 2020 because the noise-insulating door provided by Heathrow’s contractors was weak.
The 46-year-old said he asked Heathrow’s contractors to provide a more secure door but they only offered him one of the same, made out of uPVC.
Mann said: “It got broken into very, very easily. I was shocked to see it afterwards.
“They said if you want a security type of door of that level then you’re talking 1000s. Then I said ‘if it’s going to cost me 1000s, I must just do it myself.”
On another occasion, an engineer was sent by Heathrow to assess the noise levels in Mann’s house, and during the visit, he says a plane flew overhead causing the windows to heavily vibrate.
The engineer allegedly commented: “Oh, it’s very bad. How do you live?”
However, on the official report he completed later, the engineer apparently said all doors and windows were to standard, and nothing needed to be done.
Other residents said that the noise from planes was so loud it was difficult to have a conversation outside and it was disrupting their sleep.
42-year-old Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Case Officer and single mum of two, Sonia Kaur Panesar, said she could smell petroleum in her flat, and she was concerned about its impact on her and other residents’ health.
She said: “I can smell the fumes.
There’s a petroleum smell in the air that is worse at some times than others, it does cause me headaches.
“There are children playing out in the park, a lovely green space we’ve got, but it’s directly under the flights.
“I do have concerns for young children, I hope this doesn’t transfer into allergies and asthma, it’s really deeply concerning.”
Residents said they were concerned the noise would affect their ability to sell their houses.
Mann said: “Our next door house was on sale, and two buyers pulled out just because of the noise.”
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “We remain committed to being a good neighbour and work closely with local communities in Stanwell Moor through staff volunteering, skills and employment support, local charity partnerships and our dedicated Heathrow Rangers, who help keep public spaces safe and clean.
“In addition, we seek to mitigate the impacts of airport operations, including an enhanced noise insulation scheme, to better protect local homes at no cost to residents.
“Anyone who has an issue is always encouraged to reach out to our community team so we can help.”
Image Credit: Sonu Kunda
