Environment

London City Airport implements one of the most generous sound insulation schemes in the UK.

What is it? London City Airport appreciates that aircraft noise can have an impact on residents living nearby. Sound insulation is therefore installed in homes to help maintain a quieter indoor environment.

How does it work? Every year we get independent acoustic consultants to assess our noise contours. Based on this, we determine which properties may be eligible to be treated under the SIS. Newly eligible properties are published with the airports Annual Performance Report. This report is published in July each year, and can be accessed here

If your property becomes eligible you will automatically be contacted by the Airport by letter informing you accordingly in how you can benefit from this scheme.

The Airport now operates an improved three tier Sound Insulation Scheme offering sound insulation treatment to eligible residential properties which fall within a specific range of noise:

• The widest geographical area is covered by Tier 1

• The second largest area is covered by new Intermediate Tier (introduced in the 2017 APR)

• The area closest to the airport is covered by Tier 2

The sound insulation works involve the treatment of habitable rooms (defined as bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms and kitchen diners within eligible dwellings) to upgrade eligible external windows and doors. The scheme also provides the option of acoustic ventilation in accordance with the sound insulation standards given in the Noise Insulation Regulations. Previously treated properties are inspected every 10 years.

Please note that if you live in a property but there is a separate freeholder and/or leaseholder, LCY will require permission to be granted from these parties before the works can commence which can take some time.

Further information If you have recently purchased or rented a property which you believe is eligible and has not been treated, please contact us at sound.insulation@londoncityairport.com. In order to carry out works on any property under the Sound Insulation Scheme, we must receive permission from both the freeholder and leaseholder of the property which can take some time. In your email, please clearly state:

  • Your full address, including house/flat number, road name, postcode
  • Your relationship to the property (tenant, leaseholder or freeholder)
  • A contact number
  • If you are not the freeholder for the property, please provide contact details for either the freeholder or the managing agent of the property. We will require permission from both the freeholder and leaseholder of the property prior to works commencing.

Properties are not eligible for treatment if planning permission was granted (and the property built) after 27th April 2016. Similarly, if the property was required through its planning permission to have an acoustic standard equal or greater to that which London City Airport (LCY) are offering then we are unfortunately unable to offer anything to improve the sound insulation of your property.

Tier 1

Tier 1 covers the widest geographical area. Properties within the 57 dB LAeq,16h contour (Tier 1) are eligible for works to achieve an average sound reduction of not less than 25 dB. Single glazed properties are offered either secondary glazing or thermal double glazing plus acoustic ventilators. Double glazed properties are offered acoustic ventilators.

The eligibility daytime noise contour level of 57 dB LAeq,16h is more stringent than that used at other UK airports. Some local homes are not eligible for Tier 1 works as they were built inside the airport’s noise contours after particular dates when the growth of the airport and its noise impact would have been known by developers, and so those developers were required to install adequate sound insulation during construction of the property.

Intermediate Tier

As part of the CADP permission, an additional intermediate tier (Tier 3) was introduced within the 2017 APR for properties within the 63 dB LAeq,16h noise contour. Eligible properties will be offered either:

  • Option 1: Secondary glazing and sound attenuating ventilators, with the installation managed by LCY; or

  • Option 2: £3,000 (index linked) contribution towards the cost of installing high acoustic performance double glazing and sound attenuating ventilators, with the installation managed by the property owner, or resident with permission from the owner. Please note that if option 2 is chosen, there are specific requirements that the windows need to meet in order to qualify under the Sound Insulation Scheme. If the requirements are satisfied, LCY will pay the contribution after the windows have been installed.

Further information on the details of the Intermediate Tier is available here: LCY SIS Intermediate Tier - Info final

Tier 2

Tier 2 is for properties which are closest to the airport. Eligible properties within the 66 dB LAeq,16h noise contour (Tier 2) are offered a higher standard of noise reduction and, following CADP, the scheme has now been enhanced to provide 100% of the cost of high performance double glazing.