A bid to reduce aircraft noise around Southampton Airport has led to increased complaints from Winchester residents.

As an experiment, from April to June this year, pilots changed their normal course when nearing the runway. The effect was that many flights passed over Shawford, Compton, Oliver's Battery and Winchester. Previously, pilots had tended to fly over Fair Oak and Chandler's Ford.

Now a member of Winchester City Council is proposing a new approach route to take flights away from the city.

Airport chiefs discussed the three-month trial with community leaders and politicians.They said that electronic listening equipment, installed at each end of the runway, recorded no difference.

They also hired Continental Research to telephone 1,000 residents and ask their opinions.The meeting heard that the majority did not notice any change in noise levels.

Director of Continental Research, Tim Barber, added: "There was no clear consensus on what changes had been made."

He added that most people felt the airport was an asset to the area, and only 5% were "dissatisfied" with its operation.

The meeting then heard that, during the trial, the number of complaints from Winchester residents increased.

City councillor, Murray McMillan, who represents Compton and Otterbourne, is the authority's representative on the airport's consultative committee.

He thinks pilots should fly along the River Itchen valley between Southampton and Winchester to avoid areas of dense population. "I know this is not perfect, but it could make a difference."

He added that noise was a particular problem in Oliver's Battery, Badger Farm, Compton and Shawford. He explained these areas were 300 feet higher than the runway, so the aeroplanes often flew over them at low altitude.

Airport managing-director, David Cumming, has pledged to look at measures to reduce noise pollution. "We have committed to assessing these new concepts with a range of technical experts and will put forward new proposals."

The drive to cut noise pollution comes after a phase of rapid growth at the airport. Over the past 12 months, passenger numbers have risen by 34% and flights have increased by 8%.

One of the leading opponents to the growth in traffic is Mary Finch, of Bitterne Park Residents' Association, Southampton.

She dismissed the findings of the phone poll, and suggested that few of the people contacted lived close to the runway. "No-one I know has answered this survey," she added.

In response, an airport representative said the residents contacted did live near the site.