Farnborough - 'More flights will make the best use of airport'
2.1.2009 (Get Hampshire)
Increasing flights at Farnborough Airport will ensure best use is made of the existing infrastructure, according to TAG’s draft master plan.
The document, which is available online now, outlines how the company sees the airport developing over the next ten years.
Brandon O’Reilly, the chief executive of Tag Farnborough Airport, said the plan also gave an indicative view of changes up to 2030.
He hopes people across the News area will get involved in the consultation and let the airport know what they think of the plans.
Leaflets have been sent to homes in Farnborough, Ash, Fleet, Deepcut, Farnham, Church Crookham, Aldershot, Weybourne, Frimley, Hale, Camberley, Crondall, Mytchett and Ewshot.
There will also be public exhibitions in Farnborough, Aldershot, North Camp, Crondall, Farnham, Ash, Deepcut, Fleet and Church Crookham.
An additional public exhibition is being scheduled to take place in Mytchett so that people who live there do not have to travel so far to have a chance of asking questions.
TAG’s management team, including Mr O’Reilly, who hopes to attend all of the dates, will be on hand to answer questions.
There will also be feedback forms for people who do not have access to the internet or prefer to fill out a form while the subject is still fresh in their minds.
As well as showing how the aerodrome expects to be hosting 50,000 flights by 2018, the plan outlines how TAG plans to control noise, environmental impact and public safety.
Information on climate change, ecology and how expansion will contribute to the community, through jobs and visitors, is also detailed.
Mr O’Reilly said the plan would give clarity, of a kind never achieved by the airport before, to people living in the area.
The plan outlines TAG’s continued support for the biennial Farnborough Airshow, with last year’s event attracting orders totalling more than £44.35billion.
It states: “TAG Farnborough Airport is now one of the most modern, high quality and efficient business aviation centres in Europe.
“It is the pre-eminent business aviation airport in the UK and rivals the best in the world.”
But the plan goes on to state: “At the airport’s current level of operation, the infrastructure is significantly under-utilised.
“While the physical capacity of the airport could accommodate up to approximately 100,000 air traffic movements a year, approximately 50,000 a year until 2019 is being considered in light of current safety and environmental constraints.
“TAG is confident that the current runway, taxiways, aprons, passenger terminal, hangars and car parking facilities are sufficient to meet this level of future growth.”
It says that extensive environmental monitoring has been undertaken and a quiet flying programme has been established to ensure that aircraft operating from Farnborough do so as quietly as possible.
During an exclusive inter-view with the News, Mr O’Reilly confirmed that the noise generated by aircraft had been monitored from gardens under the flightpath.
He said that Tag took noise “extremely seriously” and recognised that it was the prime concern of residents.
From 2020 to 2030, the plan says, Farnborough Airport “will continue to strengthen its role as the leading European business aviation airport”.
It adds: “Given the forecast growth of business aviation and the airport’s unique posi-tion as a dedicated business aviation airport, it is possible that further expansion of the use of the airport may be sought in the period 2020 to 2030.”
The plan shows how flights have increased from 16,188 in 2003 to 26,507 in 2007.
It states: “The airport provides significant benefits to the national, regional and local economies. This was recognised by stakeholders in their response to the preliminary consultation, in respect of the master plan, with 68% agreeing that the airport contribut-ed to the local and regional economies and 56% agreeing that it contributed to the nat-ional economy.”
The number of flights to and from the airport is expected to increase by 10% in 2012 as a result of the Olympics being held in London.
The full plan can be found, with consultation documents, at www.tagconsultation.com.
For more on the draft master plan, reaction and the dates of public exhibitions, turn to page 3.
link to article
Deadline for comment is 28th February 2009.
TAG Farnborough draft master plan consultation can be found at:
http://www.farnboroughairportconsultation.com/
and the full document (68 pages, pdf) is at Draft Master Plan.
Farnborough Airport Master Plan questionnnaire is at:
(2nd January 2009)
Copyright AirportWatch, 2004