Council agree Carlisle Airport redevelopment plan

28.4.2008   (UK Airport News)

Carlisle Airport is ready for take-off after city councillors agreed a revised list of planning
conditions acceptable to airport owner Andrew Tinkler.

A £35 million scheme for a new runway, terminal, hangars, warehousing and offices
had been in doubt after Mr Tinkler stormed out of a meeting earlier this month
over conditions attached to planning approval. There had been fears that Eddie
Stobart Group, which hopes to move its HQ from Kingstown to the airport, would
go to Widnes instead taking at least 175 jobs out of Cumbria.

Those fears have receded after last week’s decision, although the Government
Office North West could still effectively scupper the scheme if it calls a public
inquiry.

The 63 planning conditions that the council originally wanted to impose have
been whittled down to 54. However 28 that remain have been reworded. Among the
key changes, the council has dropped its insistence that the office space can
be used only by Eddie Stobart and Mr Tinkler’s business W A Developments.

It is also no longer insisting that the runway is finished before the offices
are occupied. Instead, Eddie Stobart and W A Developments will be allowed to move
in as long as the council has agreed a construction programme and work on the
runway has started.

Another change is that there will no longer be a limit on the number of flights
by specific types of aircraft but an overall limit of 22,172 flights a year of
which no more than 6,657 can be by aircraft weighing more than four tonnes.

The Government Office North West has 28 days to decide if there should be an
inquiry.

28.04.08 Council agree Carlisle Airport redevelopment plan