Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the noise from aircraft operating between 4,000 and 7,000 feet under the proposed Aviation Navigation Guidance 2026 on affected communities; and whether that is a material consideration in airspace change decisions.

The Department for Transport consultation on changes to the Air Navigation Guidance closed on 26 January 2026 and responses are now being reviewed. The consultation included a proposal for new airspace design priorities which would prioritise flight efficiency and reducing carbon emissions from 4,000 feet and above, with minimising noise impacts prioritised below that altitude.

An Options Appraisal was published alongside the consultation. The detailed assessment of the impacts of a specific airspace change would be carried out as part of that airspace change proposal. As well as taking account of the airspace design priorities it would also reflect other airspace modernisation measures which can have a positive impact on noise, such as steeper climbs and descents, meaning that aircraft spend less time at lower altitudes.

A key requirement for any airspace change proposal is, and will continue to be, that people who may be affected by a change have the necessary information and are consulted before any final decisions are made.