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Airports with current expansion and other plans
All airports hope to expand as much as they can, and until the recession, flight
numbers were creeping up at many of them. The airports in red below are those at which there are particular plans or activities
at present.
Aberdeen Airport -
Belfast International Airport -
George Best Belfast City Airport
The airport is growing fast, and taking business from Belfast International.
Residents welcome Belfast City Airport public inquiry
Local residents have welcomed the decision by Environment Minister, Edwin Poots,
to hold a public inquiry into the the airport's runway extension proposal. Belfast
City Airport Watch is delighted that the controversial proposal will now be subject
to rigorous scrutiny. They fear the extended runway would mean “an international
airport right on Belfast’s doorstep.” Just days ago, the CAA submitted a damning
report on the runway plan. (BCAW) Click here to view full story... Date of public inquiry not yet known. Announced by government that the Inquiry will be delayed, as the airport needs
to submit better noise information. 10.8.2010 More .....
Birmingham Airport
The airport is pushing to try to be "London's new airport" - 15th August 2010 Birmingham airport is continuing its publicity drive to persuade people that it could become another London airport. The airport hopes high speed rail will cut the journey time from central London to Birmingham to 38 minutes, making it as easy to reach as Heathrow. Birmingham wants to be the "solution" to an alleged lack of airport capacity in the south east ... The airport's Chief Executive, Paul Kehoe, has huge ambitions for the airport. Click here to view full story...
£32m Birmingham Airport road scheme gets city council backing - 20th April 2010 Plans for a £32 million diversion of the A45 to allow the runway extension to
be built have won Birmingham City Council’s backing. Council leaders agreed to
pay half of the cost after seeking legal advice, though there had been questions
whether the council had the powers to make a £16 million contribution to Solihull
Council to get the A45 scheme off the ground. Lawyers said Birmingham could go
ahead, and felt there were other transport benefits. (Birmingham Post) Click here to view full story...
Noise Action Plan consultation ended 21st October 2009 link
Birmingham Airport urged to drop plans for second runway 1.6.2009 link
Birmingham Airport runway extension plans approved 31.3.2009 link
Blackpool Airport -
Bournemouth Airport
Noise Action Plan consultation ended 21st October 2009 link
Night flights to take off from Bournemouth airport 9.7.2009 link
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport expansion plans approved by North Somerset council on 24.5.2010 link...
Stop Bristol Airport Expansion may mount a legal challenge to this decision,
due to the precedent set by the Heathrow Judicial Review decision that said the
Air Transport White Paper can no longer be regarded as guidance on policy, and
the Climate Change Act must now be taken into account in planning decisions.
Bristol campaigners call for postponement on airport decision 1.3.2010 link...
Bristol expansion recommended for approval by North Somerset planning officers
28.2.2010 link...
Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) have asked for the application to be called
in. 27.1.2010 link
Bristol Airport planning application launched 17.6.2009 link
Bath and North East Somerset council objects to Bristol airport plan 1.9.2009
link
SBAE website http://www.stopbia.com/
Consultation on Draft Noise Action Plan ended 22nd December 2009 link
Cardiff Airport -
Doncaster Robin Hood Airport
Peel Holdings to sell airports (Liverpool, Doncaster and Durham Tees Valley)
to fund purchase of ports company? 9th March 2010 It seems likely that Peel Holdings, a private company, intends to sell a majority
stake in its airports division to help fund the £800 million acquisition of Forth
Ports, one of Britain's biggest port operators. Click here to view full story...
Doncaster Council approved Robin Hood Airport night flight changes 4th February 2010 Doncaster Council’s Planning Committee has approved variations to planning conditions at Robin Hood Airport that previously restricted certain categories of aircraft from operating from the airport at night. The changes mean up to 100 bigger, noisier aircraft will be allowed to operate at the airport at night each year, however the overall night flight noise limits have been cut. The Council has approved the airport’s proposal to lift the current QC4 aircraft restriction. (UK Airport News) Click here to view full story...
Airport wants to extend night flights for cargo link
Durham Tees Valley Airport -
Peel Holdings to sell airports (Liverpool, Doncaster and Durham Tees Valley)
to fund purchase of ports company? 9th March 2010 It seems likely that Peel Holdings, a private company, intends to sell a majority
stake in its airports division to help fund the £800 million acquisition of Forth
Ports, one of Britain's biggest port operators. Click here to view full story...
East Midlands Airport
Draft Noise Action Plan consultation ended on 21st October 2009 link
Councillors at North West Leicestershire Council agreed to permit a runway extension
of 190 metres, to allow heavier planes, on 4.11.2009 link
There is a constant problem of noisy freight flights at night - the most of any
airport in the country.
There is a petition to 10 Downing Street about the night flights - at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/peacefulnight/
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh is growing fast, and one of the few to have grown during 2009.
Air travellers increasingly pick Edinburgh over Glasgow 12th January 2010 The gap between Glasgow and Edinburgh airports grew to nearly 2 million passengers
last year. More than 1 in 10 customers deserted Glasgow Airport in 2009, with
around 7.2 million passing through its doors, while Edinburgh continued to buck
the effects of the recession, with 9 million taking flights through the year.
Click here to view full story...
Exeter Airport -
Farnborough Airport
Public Inquiry by TAG on the refusal by Rushmoor BC to allow the increased flights,
started 18th May 2010. Still continuing till some time in early June. See Farnborough airport for more details.
Planning application by airport operator, TAG, to increase flights from 28,000
to 50,000 per year
19.6.2009 link
Rejected by Rushmoor Borough Council 11.11.2009. TAG is appealing.
Glasgow Airport -
Inverness Airport -
Leeds Bradford Airport
Airport expansion plans of £28 million approved 24.7.2009 link
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Peel Holdings to sell airports (Liverpool, Doncaster and Durham Tees Valley)
to fund purchase of ports company? 9th March 2010 It seems likely that Peel Holdings, a private company, intends to sell a majority
stake in its airports division to help fund the £800 million acquisition of Forth
Ports, one of Britain's biggest port operators. Click here to view full story...
London City Airport
18th - 19th November 2010: London City Airport - Judicial Review The hearing for the legal challenge against Newham Council in regard of the approval to allow London City Airport to expand to 120,000 flights per year. Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London. On 7th Jan 2010 the High Court gave Fight the Flights the green light to Judicial Review on the way Newham council handled the consultation. link The hearing at the High Court for the legal challenge against Newham Council looks set to be heard in October or November.
A public meeting was to be held at City Hall on 10th June 2010 when the Committee
would hear people’s views on the expansion of the airport and the environmental
controls currently in place. This is now postponed to an unknown date in the autumn.
Draft Noise Action Plan consultation ended on 15th January 2010 link
Campaign group is taking council to court over airport expansion 29.9.2009 link
Green light for City airport flights 50% expansion 9.10.2008 link
Gatwick Airport
The new UK Coalition government has now ruled out plans for another runway at
Gatwick. 24.5.2010 link
New Gatwick owner rules out second runway Sir David Rowlands, Chairman of the Board of Gatwick Airport, says a 2nd runway
will not be considered any time in the foreseeable future, and "We at Gatwick
have not a shred of interest in a 2nd runway. It’s not government policy and it’s
not in our policy. Even if the Government started to look more favourably at the
prospect, we would have to think very hard about spending £100 to £200 million
on a planning application with an uncertain decision." 8.2.2010 More .....
A new runway at Gatwick could not be built till August 2019 at the very earliest,
even if there was the political will to do so, due to a legal agreement between
BAA and West Sussex County Council.
Draft Noise Action Pan consultation ended on 7th October 2009 link
Extension to the North Terminal was approved in November 2009, when the government
removed its Article 14 Direction. The extension could cope with another 5 million
passengers per year. link
Gatwick airport submits application for North Terminal extension 25.8.2009
link
The airport was sold to GIP in November 2009. link
Heathrow Airport
The new UK Coalition government has confirmed that plans for a 3rd runway have
been dropped, at least for the duration of this government (ending in May 2015).
12.5.2010 link
BAA has now agreed to drop plans for a 3rd runway. 24.5.2010 link
GOVERNMENT’S HEATHROW EXPANSION PLANS IN TATTERS AS JUDGE SLAMS RUNWAY POLICY
The Government’s Heathrow policy is in tatters after the High Court ruled that
ministers' decision to give a green light to the proposed 3rd runway at Heathrow
does not hold any weight. The judge dismissed the Government’s claims to the contrary
as ‘untenable in law and common sense’. If the Government wants to pursue its
plans for Heathrow expansion it must now go back to square one and reconsider
the entire case for the runway. The implications of today’s ruling are profound,
not just for Heathrow but for airport expansion plans across the UK. Lord Justice
Carnwath ruled that the 2003 Air Transport White Paper – the foundation of expansion
plans across the country - is obsolete because it is inconsistent with the Climate
Change Act 2008. 26.3.2010 More .....
Heathrow third runway plan unfair, High Court told 23.2.2010 Plans for a 3rd runway at Heathrow are a "breach of natural justice" because
the consultation process was unfair, the High Court has heard. Nigel Pleming
QC, appearing for the coalition, told the court the government had failed to provide
adequate reasons for its decision, and "There was a consultation process here,
but the decision made was fundamentally different from the subject matter of the
consultation. .link..
Luton Airport -
Lydd Airport
Government puts Lydd Airport expansion plans on hold
15.3.2010 Just days after a controversial airport expansion was approved the government has urged Shepway District Council to hold fire and not grant
planning permission for a new terminal building and a runway until April 22 (now
delayed due to the election - no date has yet been given). That's despite the plans being approved by councilors at a seven-hour meeting
on March 3. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wants time to decide whether or not he wants to look over the plans and call
it in for a public inquiry. link
Shepway District Council approved plans to expand Lydd Airport 4.3.2010
Two planning applications – one for a runway extension and one for a new terminal
building - have been approved by Shepway councillors by 27 votes to 12. link...
Stansted Airport
The new UK Coalition government has confirmed that plans for a 2nd runway have
been dropped, at least for the duration of this government (ending in May 2015).
12.5.2010 link
BAA has now agreed to drop plans for a 2nd runway. 24.5.2010 link
Southend Airport
Decison by Southend Council Development Control committee on 20th January 2010
- application allowed, link
19th March 2010 The government has approved plans for a runway extension at Southend - without
a public inquiry. John Denham, Sec of State at DCLG had claimed the right to a
final say on the extension earlier this year, and could have called for a public
inquiry on the decision made by Southend Council planners. Opponents are concerned
about a rise in passenger numbers to 2m a year and the adverse environmental effect
on the Southend area. The council, as usual, were persuaded the airport would
bring much needed jobs. (BBC) Click here to view full story...
On 13th October 2009 Southend airport (owned by Stobart) submitted an application
to Southend Council to extend the runway from 1605 metres to 1905, which will
allow larger planes to carry business and leisure passengers to destinations all
over Europe. If approved, the runway could be operational in 2011, in time for
the Olympics. As well as the runway, the application is for a new terminal and
diversion of Eastwoodbury Lane. It is expected to cost in the region of £30-40
million.
Manston, (Kent International)
Currently trying to get more night cargo flights. Manston Airport is owned
by Infratil, a New Zealand-based multi-national. Their long-standing 'S106' agreement
with Thanet District Council bans all scheduled night flights in the 8 hours between
11pm and 7am. Infratil now want to change that, and recently asked TDC for permission
to start scheduling night flights. The runway ends less than a mile from the
edge of Ramsgate, so thousands of homes are seriously overflown.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport to begin work on runway one on April 11 for four months Manchester Airport is set to start work on its taxiways that will see runway two being in operation during the night. The move will see flights transferred from runway one to the second runway while the work takes place from April 11 until August 13th 2010. Runway two is normally only used during the day. Residents fear that this will cause disturbance despite the airport saying some planes would be diverted around – not over – Knutsford to reach the second runway. Click here to view full story ...
Plans for a £20m extension to the freight terminal on land off Runger Lane,
Wythenshawe were approved on 25th November 2009. link Campaigners had hoped to get a judicial review of the council decision, but
have been advised they will not be able to get legal aid to do so.
Wythenshaw Councillors rejected the cargo terminal plans on 22nd October 2009.
Newcastle Airport
Consultation on draft Noise Action Plan ended on 21st October 2009
Newquay Airport -
Prestwick Airport -
Southampton Airport
The consultation on the draft Noise Action Plan ended on 2nd October 2009.
(18th January 1990)
Copyright AirportWatch, 2004