East Midlands Airport is offering £10,000 relocation grants to help people escape the roar of overhead aircraft – but there are no homes that qualify for the cash.

The airport is offering people who bought their houses before 2003 financial help to move if they suffer aircraft noise levels above 66 decibels.

However, at present the nearest homes to the airport in Castle Donington have noise levels of around 55 decibels.

The payment packages are part of the airport's recent draft noise action plan, which it was required to draw up by the government.

The airport says the scheme has been drawn up in case noise levels rise in the future.

Peter Beddoe, of Castle Hill, Castle Donington, who lives close to the airport, said: "I think it's quite cynical to offer a relocation payment but then say nobody qualifies for it.

"The noise in Kegworth, particularly, is obscene.

"If they were reasonable, the airport would help most people in that village move because the thunder of the engines there is appalling."

Airport environmental manager Neil Robinson said: "The relocation grants are part of a generous scheme we have to mitigate the noise impact of air traffic.

"We have done noise assessments, and at the moment nobody lives in an area where the level reaches 66 decibels, but this is a safeguard for the future should noise levels rise.

"At this moment in time we don't predict they will rise that high but it is included in our measures in case."

Over the years the airport has spent £1.5 million insulating 502 nearby homes to keep out jet noise and says it will continue to fine airlines who break its own noise levels.

Fines totalling £22,000 were handed to 22 airlines in 2008/09.

A series of public meetings will be held in the coming weeks to allow residents to say if they feel the airport needs to do more to manage noise, as part of a 16-week consultation, ending on October 21.

Latest figures show 2,632 complaints were made about disturbance from aircraft engines between April, 2008 and the end of March, 2009.

Mr Robinson said: "We are confident we already have a good set of measures in place but we are willing to listen to the public to see if we can do anything better."

Once the airport has collected views it will finalise its noise action plan and submit it to the government, which will either approve it or suggest more stringent noise control measures.

Mr Robinson said: "An airport will create noise by its very nature, but we contribute greatly to the region's economy by providing jobs for 7,000 people and bringing in tourists.

"We need to strike a balance between that benefit and the environmental cost."

Steve Charlish is founder of the Demand campaign group, which wants caps on the number of night time flights to and from the airport.

He said: "There's 100,000 people across Leicestershire who have to put up with noise blight every night.

"I'm sure they will have a lot of suggestions for what the airport could do better."

Public meetings will be held at Castle Donington Village Hall, on August 25 and Kegworth Parish Council Rooms, on September 29, between 3pm and 7pm.