CAMPAIGNING residents fed up with airplane noise over St Albans district are staging a protest meeting tomorrow morning against a proposed major expansion of Luton Airport.

Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion (HALE) has organised the protest event at Breachwood Green Village Hall, Chapel Road, Breachwood Green on Saturday July 7, from 8am.

Members of HALE will be joined by representatives of other campaign groups including St Albans organisation Save Our Skies and Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN).

LADACAN wants to ensure there is a reasonable balance between the airport’s operation and the peace and quiet of neighbouring areas.

It is concerned residents will suffer further degradation of their quality of life should plans to double the number of passengers to 18 million a year get the go-ahead, because well over 200,000 people live directly beneath flight paths.

A spokesman for HALE said residents have expressed an “uneasiness” over the expansion push, a joint scheme by airport owner, Luton borough council, and the operator, London Luton Airport Operations Limited.

He added: “We have invited the airport managers and owners to meet with us at Breachwood Green to explain their new plans to residents.

“So far we understand that Neil Thompson, director of operations at Luton, will be coming to address the meeting at 8:30am.”

A joint planning application is expected to be submitted to the council in late summer.