Flight path schools fail to protect children's hearing
Hounslow Council officials claim that children could be at risk from aircraft noise because there is not enough money being spent on insulating schools.
The recently-launched BAA community buildings programme will provide £5million a year over five years to help insulate schools and other public buildings in areas under the Heathrow flight path. But according to council property experts, the real cost of bringing the schools in Hounslow in line with national noise standards is £103.6million.
After BAA rejected a council-backed scheme to protect schools from aircraft noise last summer, the council undertook its own research for its 79 schools to meet Government regulations for noise and ventilation.
The council believes aircraft noise has a severe impact on 30 schools in the borough but that most others are affected to some extent.
The council says the cost of insulation work including double or secondary glazing, mechanical ventilation, replacing mobile classrooms, roof improvements and additional doors would be £103.6million.
Rob Gibson, the council's head of environmental strategy, said: "We have long suspected that the BAA scheme is inadequate but these figures confirm our worst fears.
"There is a serious shortfall in funding that could put local children at risk and condemn a generation of young people to an education blighted by incessant aircraft noise.
"With the financial package BAA is proposing it will take decades to finish the job. Hounslow needs a scheme that will protect today's schoolchildren, not a scheme that may protect their grandchildren."
But BAA has hit back at the claim that children are being put at risk, saying it is "inaccurate" and "irresponsible".
A spokesman said: "The BAA scheme will make significant improvements to buildings where local people study and congregate.
"The funds BAA Heathrow has provided are available with immediate effect and the board of local representatives are in place to make the decisions about how the funds are allocated."
