CONVERSION OF SELETAR AIRPORT INTO AEROSPACE HUB

CONVERSION OF SELETAR AIRPORT INTO AEROSPACE HUB: **

(Noise pollution on nearby housing estates): **

22.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport with the proposed conversion of Seletar Airport into an aerospace hub (a) whether the Ministry has taken into consideration the impact of noise pollution on nearby housing estates; (b) what steps are being taken to keep the flight paths for aircraft away from high-rise flats; and (c) what are the safety considerations in drawing up the flight paths.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: The potential impact of aircraft noise on residential areas has been taken into consideration in the planning of the Seletar Aerospace Park. Consultancy studies carried out by CAAS and JTC showed that while there is expected to be some increase in aircraft noise experienced by nearby residents, this will still be well within development planning norms, established internationally, for residential areas near an airport.

Notwithstanding this, CAAS has put in place several noise abatement measures to reduce noise levels in the vicinity of Seletar Airport. CAAS disallows older and noisier jet aircraft that do not meet international standards on aircraft noise from operating in Singapore. Jet aircrafts which operate to Seletar are newer-generation ones which are quieter.

To further curb aircraft generated noise, CAAS introduced altitude restrictions requiring aircraft to be no lower than 1,500 ft (about 450 metres) when they have to overfly the residential areas to the west and south of Seletar Airport.

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Depending on the prevailing wind direction at Seletar Airport, aircraft will have to land from the north or the south. To avoid aircraft overflying the residential areas and thereby reduce the noise disturbance, CAAS will as far as possible, minimise aircraft landings from the south.

In addition, Seletar Airport prohibits training flights and cargo flights between the hours of 10:00 pm to 7:00 am daily.

Regarding the safety of aircraft flight paths and whether aircraft are away from high-rise flats, let me assure the House that there are well established international safety standards and templates on air space around an airport that have to be met. A key flight safety measure is the strict height limits imposed on tall structures in the vicinity of the airport, including the areas under the landing and take-off flight paths of Seletar Airport. This ensures that there is no unauthorised construction of tall buildings that could pose a danger to any aircraft in flight. CAAS further requires tall buildings to be lit with fail-safe obstacle lights to enhance their visibility to aircraft pilots at night.

Aircraft noise and flight safety are not issues new to the Seletar Airport. The various measures I have described are already in place. Going forward, these measures will still be relevant with the development of the Seletar Aerospace Park. The CAAS will regularly review the measures for improvement where appropriate, taking into account the advent of new technology that could enhance flight safety, and further minimise noise disturbance to residents.

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