THE EXPANSION of London City Airport will mean “more disruption and worse quality of life” for people living under noisy flight paths, a campaigner fears.

After bosses were given the green light for the £344 million expansion of the docklands airport earlier this week, lobbyist John Stewart has expressed major concern for people living in Wanstead, Leyton and Leytonstone.

The HACAN East chairman claims that despite Government promises of “generous compensation for residents”, people already living under 45 flight paths in Wanstead will not get anything.

He said: “They are offering absolutely nothing to people in Wanstead, Leytonstone or Leyton.

“It’s so-called “generous compensation” means its giving a little bit of money to a few people in Newham who live right next door to the airport.

“Meanwhile this is going to mean more noise, more disruption and a worse quality of life for residents.”

Mr Stewart added that the expansion go-ahead reaffirms his argument that the airport need to “look again” at the “unfair” concentration of flight paths over certain communities.

Wanstead Society chairman and resident of over 30 years Scott Wilding echoed Mr Stewart’s concerns about the extra 41,000 planes to be added every year.

He said: “It’s not just the people who live next to the airport who need to be considered, it’s the people who live underneath the flight paths.

“We haven’t had any kind of action plan from the airport or the airlines on how they plan to reduce noise.

“It’s great east London is going to benefit from all the investment and jobs, but it’s a simple thing to ask – if you’re going to expand, how are you going to reduce noise?

“If they don’t come up with an action plan, they’ll be letting residents and themselves down.”

A spokesman for London City Airport said: “We are absolutely determined that London City Airport should continue to be a good neighbour to Redbridge residents and remain at the heart of east London regeneration.

“The airport’s operating hours are unchanged, and it will remain closed for 24 hours over the weekend, with expansion enabling the use of quieter and more fuel efficient ‘next generation’ aircraft.”