To follow on from Irishwings' comment about being told to descend below the published height at Birmingham, I have noticed this happening alot recently at a number of other aerodromes. Fortunately it has mostly happened on good clear weather days, but my question is why? It does always happen after calling localiser established, so there should be no need for further descent, other than with the glideslope. It almost always puts you at a height well below SSA. Which we don't like: it makes our sphinctures twitch unnesessarily! I fully understand why you would ask for it if the aeroplane has not established on the loc. Also, surely it will reduce noise problems (by a very small amount) if aeroplanes stay a bit higher for a bit longer.
There was a report on just this subject in the last CHIRP, number 71, which does advise pilots to request that they stay at platform height if they so wish, but I have never heard anyone do this.
Can any tower or approach controllers comment please?