ASCOT would be among the worst hit areas for aircraft noise if Heathrow Airport expanded.

ASCOT would be among the worst hit areas for aircraft noise if Heathrow Airport expanded.

The north of the village as well as Winkfield and parts of Bracknell would by blighted by aircraft noise above 55 decibels if a third runway at the airport is given the go-ahead later this year.

A map showing the areas which would be affected by flight paths has been made public by a new parliamentary group of campaigners.

Windsor MP Adam Afriyie, a critic of Heathrow expansion, attended the group’s launch last Wednesday and slammed the airport for its 'intolerable’ proposal, which would see a further 300,000 people hit by aircraft noise.

<img style="width: 500px; height:218.75px;" src="/media/1252/1315heathro_c1270517_15622_.jpg?width=500&height=218.75" alt="undefined" rel="112637" /> The map is still approximate, but is based on potential flight paths submitted by Heathrow to the Airports Commission.

Mr Afriyie said: “Many people do not realise that a third runway at Heathrow will drag them into the flight paths and create noise nuisance in areas that do not currently experience it, as well as massively increase the noise in areas that do.

“This new map illustrates the brutal disruption a third runway will cause to the residents across the Windsor constituency and the wider area.

“For those of us already living under the flight paths, aircraft noise is an unfortunate fact of life, but Heathrow should not be given free rein to ramp up the noise and inflict this blight on a further 300,000 people.

“Heathrow already inflicts noise on three times more people than any other airport in Europe, so it would be intolerable to make this worse.” The map stretches across London and into east Berkshire and highlights the routes aircraft could take when leaving Heathrow.

It shows areas such as North Ascot, Winkfield, Binfield and parts of Bracknell could be particularly badly hit.

The campaign against Heathrow expansion was stepped up last year after a trial of flight paths, part of the government’s Future Airspace Strategy, gave residents a taste of what lay in store.

The trials, which started in August, were cut short in November following an outcry from furious residents, who claimed their quality of life was ruined by the increase in aircraft noise.

Mr Afriyie labelled a third runway at the airport as a 'sticking-plaster solution’.

He said: “Heathrow Airport Ltd is a private company whose shareholders stand to make huge gains with a third runway at the expense of passengers and the taxpayer as they further entrench their market dominance.

“The Government should have the courage to rule out this short-term, sticking-plaster solution that would be a catastrophe for the country.” A third runway at Heathrow would affect over a million people and mean 372,000 new people would find themselves living with aircraft noise above 55 decibels.

The airports Commission will publish a report recommending which, if either, airport should expand. Howard Davies will present the report on Wednesday.