Abstract
M.A. (Geography)
The development of a new airport usually brings with it the
problem of aircraft noise pollution for land users located within
about 15km of the airport boundaries. Excessive aircraft noise
levels can cause health problems for residents and workers, and
be responsible for a decrease in residential property values in
the noise impacted areas.
This dissertation reviews the problems associated with aircraft
noise, examines the predicted noise impact of aircraft operations
at the proposed airport at La Mercy in KwaZulu-Natal in South
Africa, and concludes with recommendations for future land use
around the airport.
A number of relatively small urban settlements (Tongaat, Verulam,
Waterloo, La Mercy, Umdloti Beach) are located around the La
Mercy airport site. Almost all of the land not used for urban
sett~ements is used for cultivation of sugar cane - very little
land remains undeveloped. The agricultural land will probably
eventually be converted to urban use, given the close proximity
to Tongaat, Verulam and Durban. As such, comprehensive land use
planning may still be done in order to avoid development of land
for uses which will not be compatible with the anticipated
aircraft noise levels.
The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA of the United States)
computerised Integrated Noise Model (INM), designed to model
aircraft noise impact was used to derive contours representing
aircraft noise exposure around the airport. Taking factors such
as airport elevation, mean temperature, runway usage, aircraft
type, and flight routes into account, a set of contours unique
to the airport at La Mercy were produced.
By overlaying the noise contours on land use maps, land uses
which would be incompatible with aircraft noise, should the
airport be constructed were identified. Recommendations were then
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made on future developments in those non noise compatible areas.
Much of Tongaat would be exposed to a moderate noise impact,
whilst small portions receive a substantial impact. The whole
settlement of Waterloo, and the southern portion of Verulam would
be exposed to a severe noise impact. The central and northern
portions of Verulam would receive substantial and moderate
impacts respectively. Mount Edgecombe and Duffs Road would be
exposed to a substantial impact, whilst the northern suburbs of
Durban including Westville would encounter a moderate impact.
An examination was then made of the general principles for land
development - physical requirements of commercial, industrial and
residential land use, and locational requirements of these land
users in relation to one another.
Thereafter, undeveloped land (undeveloped from an urban point of
view ie. land used for sugar cane cultivation) was identified,
and broad recommendations made for developing that land for urban
use, taking general land use development principles into account