A group opposed to the expansion of Stansted Airport has asked for a review of a consultation into flightpath changes after 82 per cent of respondents objected.

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) claims plans by air traffic controllers NATS to switch 58 daily flights onto an easterly route over the Braintree district towards Clacton are flawed.

The change could see up to 12 low-flying planes an hour flying over homes during the daytime but NATS says it will reduce CO2 emissions and delays.

SSE spokesman Martin Peachey said the group had written to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

He said: “Anything that reduces CO2 is welcome. However, one doesn’t like to see noise increased so all these things are a bit of a balance.

“What we are asking the CAA to do is make a balanced judgement with all the evidence.”

Mr Peachey said the CO2 reductions would be less than 1 per cent, those living within 20 miles of the airport would suffer adverse noise impact and NATS provided no actual evidence for its claims on delay reduction.

The group also believes there is a conflict of interest because NATS is 42 per cent owned by The Airline Group Ltd, a consortium of eight airlines.

A spokesman for NATS said: “The responses received highlighted no issues that had not already been taken into account. “Therefore, NATS submitted the Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) to the CAA on November 19, 2014, and it is now their decision whether or not to approve it.”

If approved, the plans will be implemented in December 2015.