INCREASING numbers of budget flights in and out of Bournemouth Airport are worrying Bransgore people who claim noisy aircraft are flying over their homes.

Now campaigning Bransgore Residents' Association is to investigate their concerns.

The claims have been denied by Bournemouth Airport.

More than 40 residents attended the association's annual general meeting.

There were complaints about increased noise because of the larger number of aircraft using the airport and worries that flight paths seemed to be getting closer to the village instead of sticking to flying over Avon Tyrrell as agreed around 10 years ago.

Association secretary Bill Bowling said flights seemed to be getting earlier, with some at 5am, and aircraft now seemed to be "cutting the corner".

"They now seem to be flying over the village whenever they feel like it," he said.

"Everybody's for the amount of work that comes in through Hurn, but we think there is a case for reducing the noise level.

"We're going to do some investigative work ourselves and we will take it from there."

Sally Windsor, marketing and communications general manager at the airport, said aircraft have to follow a particular route for 4.1 nautical miles before turning, which takes them past Bransgore.

The closest they get to the village is two kilometres.

"At this point the aircraft may be between 2,000 and 4,000ft in height and, during certain atmospheric conditions, the perception could be that the aircraft are flying close to the village of Bransgore when, in fact, they are adhering to the published noise abatement procedures," she said. The rules apply to all jet and turbo-prop aircraft and any contravention is logged by Air Traffic Control and immediate action taken.

New equipment to provide 24-hour noise monitoring is currently being installed to ensure the airport remains well within the CAA and government guidelines, she added.

First published: October 13