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In 2007 nearly 43,000 planes took off or came in to land over East Belfast, South Belfast and North Down – covering thousands of homes, numerous schools and workplaces in the Ormeau area, Annadale, Rosetta, Stranmillis, Malone, the lower Lisburn Road area, Ravenhill, Woodstock, the Short Strand, the Albertbridge Road and Newtownards Road areas, Park Avenue, Connsbrook, Sydenham, Inverary, Kinnegar, Holywood and Cultra.
Public parks are also affected by both noise and the visual disturbance of low-flying aircraft. Those worst affected are Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park, and in particular Victoria Park, which is particularly unfortunate as it is one of the most beautiful parks in Belfast, part of a designated Area of Special Scientific Interest and only one of two in Belfast with a lake, which attracts large numbers of migrating birds. Victoria Park is adjacent to runway 22, which is the city side runway used by over 20,000 departures and arrivals a year. It is also adjacent to the wonderful RSPB Harbour Lagoon Bird Reserve.
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