Gatwick Airport has revealed measures it plans to take to reduce the impact noise from arriving planes has on residents of west Kent.

The airport carried out a four month consultation and technical exercise to determine how it could lessen the impact of low-flying aircraft and engage better with the community.

The Independent Review of Arrivals, published today, concluded there is "scope for significant improvement of the present situation" and "more can and should be done".

Residents in west Kent have long been campaigning against the narrowing of flight paths over the county, which they say has led to "intolerable" noise and an increased number of low-level flights travelling over-head.

Chair of campaign group Gatwick Obviously Not, Martin Barraud, says the route changes have more than doubled the number of inbound planes flying over his Penshurst home.

Last year more than a thousand people gathered in a Kent field to protest against the alterations, which they claim were made without proper public consultation.

Campaigners travelled in their hundreds to unveil a 100ft sign which could be read by passengers arriving at the London airport.

The airport's review has produced a number of recommendations, many of which bosses say could be operational within a 12 month period. They include:

• reduced aircraft holding over land
• improved used of continuous descent arrivals generating less noise and increased flexibility for sequencing and spacing of arrivals
• accelerated modification of the Airbus A320 family of aircraft to reduce the noise they produce during approach
• the establishment of a noise management board to oversee joint strategies to deal with noise around the airport
• development of a comprehensive online complaint management system

In particular, Gatwick has welcomed the proposal for the establishment of a noise management board as the first step in this process.

The board would include representatives from Gatwick Airport, the CAA, NATS, elected council members and would operate under an independent chair.

The report stated: "The review has led us to conclude that there are real opportunities to alleviate significantly the noise issues from Gatwick arrivals which have given rise to so many complaints and concerns."

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate, said: “We welcome the conclusions of this review and the recommendations that have been put forward. In aggregate, I am sure that they will allow for reduction in the noise impacts of our arrivals traffic, which I am sure will be welcomed by our local community.

“Over the next few weeks we’ll be analysing the conclusions of the Review together with our aviation partners so as to arrive at an action plan that will, I hope, allow for the implementation of as many of the recommendations as possible in as short a time as can be practically managed.”

Earlier this month Gatwick Obviously Not won the right to bring a legal challenge against the Gatwick flight paths.

Last year the group submitted a bid for a judicial review against the way the new routes had been brought in, but it was rejected by the High Court.

Now, a senior judge has overruled the decision and announced the case will be heard in the Appeal Court, as the outcome may impact on other airports around the country.

It is thought the appeal will go before three judges later this year.

To read the full Independent Arrivals Review click here.