You plan a backyard birthday party for your kid. Balloons, cake, laughter. Then, a chopper buzzes overhead and wipes out every word.
That's the kind of disruption some Auckland residents are bracing for after the city council gave the green light for a private helipad at the home of entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and former All Black Ali Williams. The couple can now fly in and out of their multimillion-dollar Herne Bay mansion up to 10 times a month.
RNZ reported that nearly 1,400 public submissions poured in. A whopping 87% opposed the plan.
Still, three council-appointed commissioners signed off on it. They ruled that the helicopter noise wouldn't be "unreasonable" and wouldn't disturb sleep — as long as flights stick to daytime and follow a path that avoids most homes.
Quiet Sky Waitematā, a local group that pushed back hard, said the ruling "sets a worrying precedent." Its statement summed up the mood: "Safe to say given the huge number of submissions against this application it won't be a popular one."
The decision wasn't just about noise. Reuben Jackson from the Hawke Sea Scouts flagged safety risks. He told RNZ that its youth group, which meets nearby at Coxs Bay, might have to cancel some waterfront activities. "At first glance, the council have done nothing to address the safety of youth who might be walking along the coast during a landing," he said.
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Wildlife could also suffer. The couple is required to submit an Avifauna Monitoring Plan to track any impact on the Meola Reef's bird population.
Beyond Auckland, concerns about private aircraft noise are growing. Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam recently banned most night flights to reduce air and noise pollution. One study found that even gas-powered lawn tools such as leaf blowers can reach damaging decibel levels. Constant traffic noise has been shown to affect how well kids learn in school.
So when helicopters start crowding residential airspace, it's not just the peace that disappears; it's also the sound of community life.
On Reddit, people weren't having any of it.
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Do you worry about air pollution in your town? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
All the time 💯 "Can we get someone with a really loud boom-box to play helicopter sounds towards their house in the middle of the night?" asked one user.
Another said: "Good. The longer we hold the mega-wealthy back, the longer they can pass as normal everyday folk. I say let them commute in helicopters any hour of the day, and pump their sewage directly onto the beach."
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