The secretary of state for transport, Grant Shapps, has today announced an intention to wind down the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN) at the end of September.
In doing so, he has asked the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to take on some of the functions of the body by April next year.
“We welcome the opportunity to increase the scope of our work on this issue, including by continuing much of ICCAN’s technical, research and policy advisory functions,” a statement from the CAA explained.
“Elements of the work will not transfer to the Civil Aviation Authority given our wider regulatory role.
“The full scope and transfer of the activities that we will take over responsibility for will be agreed over the coming months.”
The Civil Aviation Authority said it fully recognises the impact aviation noise has on local communities and other stakeholders, and that it would exercise these new responsibilities with rigour and impartiality.
“In addition, we remain committed to making sure the views of those who are overflown are taken into account in any airspace decisions that might affect them, alongside other factors that we must consider,” the statement added.