Southampton Airport soon to submit runway extension (164m) proposals, hoping to more than double passengers in 10 years
Southampton Airport is soon going to submit plans to extend its runway, perhaps by the end of October. The airport proposes to extend the runway by 164 metres and if approved by Eastleigh Borough Council, work will start in early 2020 for completion by the end of the year. There are the usual claims about more jobs being generated. Friends of the Earth, the Green Party and Extinction Rebellion have joined together to fight the plans. Calling themselves Airport eXpansion Opposition (AXO) they accept the need for a small regional airport, however, because of the climate crisis believes people must fly less. AXO is urging residents to sign a petition calling on the council to reject the plans. The airport wants some of the people who travel to London airports, for their European flights, to travel instead from Southampton. They want more economic benefit from flights by local people. There is the usual greenwash of wanting “sustainable growth”, which makes little sense for growing carbon emissions. There will be public drop-in sessions, where the plans can be seen. Winchester City Council wants to be fully involved, as the airport’s expansion would affect its residents.
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Southampton Airport to submit runway extension proposals
27.10.2019
SOUTHAMPTON Airport is set to submit plans to extend its runway in a matter of days.
The airport proposes to extend the runway by 164 metres and if approved by Eastleigh Borough Council, work will start in early 2020 for completion by the end of the year.
When contacted, the airport would not give a specific date for the submission but confirmed it would be within “days” and before the end of October.
The airport claims the expansion will increase jobs on site from the current level of 950 to 1,500.
Friends of the Earth, the Green Party and Extinction Rebellion have banded together to fight the plans. Calling themselves Airport eXpansion Opposition (AXO) they accept the need for a small regional airport, however, because of the climate crisis believes people must fly less.
It is urging residents to sign a petition calling on the council to reject the plans.
The airport will be hosting drop-in sessions for the public to learn about the plans.
They will be on: Thursday, October 24 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Bitterne Park School; Saturday, October 26 from 10am to 12pm at Southampton Airport; Tuesday, October 29 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Shawford Village Hall.
Winchester MP Steve Brine visited the airport on Wednesday October 9 to understand their plans on behalf of his constituents, particularly those living to the south of Winchester.
He pressed home that, while he recognised that Eastleigh Borough Council is the planning authority, any plans must fully involve Winchester City Council and its elected members.
Mr Brine said: “At present Southampton Airport is every day watching potential customers go past its front door all the way into London to fly back over its head. This is not about creating more demand, it’s about giving people locally some choice and developing the regional economy at the same time.”
“I was grateful to Neil Garwood and his team for briefing me on the emerging planning application and keen to make the point that Winchester must be every bit as central to the process as Eastleigh because my constituents are clearly involved.
“It was also a chance to discuss the future of electric, and hybrid electric, planes which is a fast developing technology and something I am really interested in.”
Southampton Airport Managing Director Neil Garwood said: “Our vision is for Southampton Airport to provide the best possible connectivity for local people, and avoid many of those needless car journeys on congested roads to the busy London airports.
“We are looking to build a brighter future for our region through sustainable growth and will have a team of experts on hand to speak to residents of Winchester and the surrounding villages at the drop-in session on October 29.”
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What the airport wants:
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Southampton had 1,991,014 passengers (CAA data) in 2018 and 2,069,910 passengers in 2017 (which is almost a 4% drop).
Southampton had 35,750 flights in 2018 and 39,285 flights in 2017 ( which is almost a 10% drop).
A Vision For Sustainable Growth
Southampton Airport’s Master Plan 2037 – there was a consultation in 2018
Airport website says:
“We are delighted to publish the airport’s finalised Master Plan 2037, which is now called A Vision For Sustainable Growth – a title which puts sustainability at the heart of all we do.
This vision document sets out our growth path for the airport over the next 20 years, including key developments and the associated land use plans.
The plan highlights the airport’s positive ambition as a key transport and economic asset, supporting our region’s strategy of building upon its strength in marine, advanced manufacturing, further education and tourism.
Following a public consultation on its initial draft last autumn, the plan has been updated to reflect the feedback we received from the community. You can read more about that feedback below and find a copy of A Vision For Sustainable Growth here.
Phase one of the plan would see us extend our runway by 164 metres within our existing boundaries. A planning application which, if successful, will enable this is in the process of being submitted to Eastleigh Borough Council and is due to go live for public consultation in November. For further detailed information on the planning application, please click here.
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Download the Master Plan – A Vision For Sustainable Growth
Master Plan Frequently Asked Questions
Supporting documents
Master Plan Consultation
The six week-long consultation closed on October 30, 2018, during which a total of 396 people responded via the airport website’s dedicated information page. During this period, the page recorded 8432 page views from 7360 individuals.
Of the responses, 246 were positive with 150 negative replies received. Key themes raised by the public included increased opportunity, greater choice of routes, increased job prospects, ease of travel, environment, transport infrastructure and noise issues.”