Fife householders affected by noise from Edinburgh Airport will have a new place to air their concerns.
An independent noise management board has been established by the airport to improve relations with communities affected by its operations.
An environmental noise adviser, June McClung, has been appointed to oversee the board, which will handle noise complaints and liaise with communities, including those in Fife, affected by the aircraft landing or departing from Turnhouse.
Burntisland, Kinghorn and Kirkcaldy West councillor Peter George gave the appointment a lukewarm welcome.
Asked how prevalent the problem of aircraft noise was, he said: “It’s generated quite a bit of talk in Kinghorn particularly, while people have also mentioned it in Burntisland.
“It does show willingness on the part of the airport to listen but sadly it is also a necessity of the airport and it is getting busier.”
Several communities along the south Fife coast are affected by operations at Edinburgh Airport, with Aberdour, Kirkcaldy, Kinghorn and Burntisland particularly affected by aircraft either landing or taking off from Turnhouse.
Aircraft flying over these towns often pass at an altitude below 4,000ft, with a noise from a plane at that level reaching up to 73 decibels at ground level, roughly equivalent to a vacuum cleaner 3ft away.
Government guidance requires as few people as possible to be overflown below an altitude of 7,000ft.
Gordon Robertson, Edinburgh Airport’s director of communications, said: “We care deeply about our local relationships as we are local ourselves – a great number of the people who benefit from the 23,000 jobs that Edinburgh Airport supports live near the airport.
“As we continue to grow we are committed to doing all we can to be transparent and collaborative with the communities impacted on the airport.”