Noise from planned aircraft testing facility at Cranfield Airport 'nowhere near' current levels

A demonstration of aircraft engine testing has shown parish councillors Marshall Aerospace’s planned testing facility at Cranfield Airport is “nowhere near” the current noise levels, a meeting heard.

Three representatives from Cranfield Parish Council visited Cambridge Airport for a demonstration of the noise generated by testing aircraft in Marshall’s purpose-built Ground Run Enclosure (GRE) facility.

The company is planning to move from Cambridge to Cranfield, and residents have expressed their concerns over increased noise from the village’s airport.

Parish councillor George Munkley said: “We went across to look at the possible problems with the GRE noise.”

“We stood on the airfield 700 metres away from the GRE which is approximately where the end of Merchant Lane [Cranfield] is, and we also stood 800 metres away, which is approximately where Townsend Close is,” he said.

“First of all they did the test lightly, with four engines running. And to be quite honest, we could hear hardly anything,” he said

“So anybody that thinks that this is really going to disturb the village, I’m afraid they are sadly mistaken.”

“As we understand it at the moment,” parish councillor Alan Bastable interjected.

Parish councillor Munkley continued: “We could still hear the birds singing, we could still hear the aircraft taking off, we could still talk amongst ourselves. It was a very low hum. We then asked them to turn it up to full power on four engines.”

This test lasted for six minutes, the parish councillor told the meeting.

“It was a little bit noisier, but I would say it didn’t really affect us,” he said.

He added that the noise was “nowhere near” that generated by Cranfield University’s current jet engine testing.

Marshall’s planning application includes a provision for 500 hours a year of engine tests within the GRE. This, the parish council was told, was the figure recommended by the planners.

Parish councillor Munkley said: “They gave us the information of the amount of testing that they did in 2021, where there were 160 hours in total not 500, and 114 [hours] in 2022.

“And only on three occasions during that time did they do any testing outside the GRE,” he said.

Parish councillor Bastable said that noise had been his principal concern.

“From where I would live 800 metres from the GRE, as George said, there was a hum, it was more perceptible when they wound it up.

“But it wasn’t anything like we were perhaps led to expect as it is set out in the application. From that point of view I was comfortable,” he said.

Parish councillor Munkley added: “Another thing that came to light was since they’ve installed the GRE they’ve had no complaints from the neighbours.

“And if I say that the nearest house to the GRE is a matter of 50 metres away you can understand how well it works,” he said.

The parish council has appointed an independent noise consultant to look at the planning application. Their report will be discussed at a future meeting.

The parish council is also investigating and, where necessary, commenting on other aspects of the application on behalf of the villagers.

More information on Marshall’s planning application can be found on Central Bedfordshire Council’s planning portal, reference 22/04299/OUT.