Luton Airport dismisses climate change as factor in planning inquiry
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Luton Airport: Inquiry begins into expansion plans
28.9.2022
Luton Borough Council, whose company Luton Rising owns the airport, approved the growth plans in December.
The separate private company that runs the airport, London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL), applied to increase passenger capacities from 18 million to 19 million per year and to amend the noise contours.
The government said an inquiry should review the main aspects of development.
Three inspectors are expected to participate during the inquiry, Richard Clegg, Sheila Holden and Geoff Underwood, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
A pre-inquiry meeting was held by the inspectors in the Council Chamber at Luton Town Hall in July to outline the management of the process.
The agenda included seven areas they considered to be the main aspects of the application, which were air quality, climate change, the impact of noise, sustainability, socio-economic implications, the influence of other considerations on the overall planning balance, and whether it would be consistent with the local development plan and other policies.
Local protest group Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN) said it was pleased there would be an inquiry.
Earlier this year, Andrew Lambourne from LADACAN, said: “We’re really grateful for the support from local MPs, councils and other groups in helping to get this decision called in.
“We expect the hearings to shine some uncomfortable light on how the borough council and the airport failed to ensure the required balance between growth and mitigation, apparently focusing on maximising revenues instead.”
A spokesman for LLAOL previously said it respected the government’s request for the application to undergo further examination.
“Our project enables us to put the airport on the best possible footing for a long-term recovery which supports the local economy and creates jobs, after the worst crisis our industry has ever faced,” he said.
“This plan is consistent with our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for our own operations by 2026 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-63036301
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Luton Airport delivered 15 years’ of growth in five years, inquiry hears
30.9.2022 (BBC)
An inquiry is reviewing London Luton Airport’s plans to increase passenger capacity and amend noise contours.
Plans to increase London Luton Airport’s passenger capacity from 18 million to 19 million per year and amend noise contours were approved by Luton Borough Council in December.
The airport is owned by the council’s company, Luton Rising.
A public inquiry is taking place after the government said the main aspects of development should be reviewed.
The airport is run by a separate private company, London Luton Airport Operations Limited, (separate from the council), which submitted the expansion plans.
Local protest group Luton and District Association, for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN) has opposed the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Richard Wald KC, representing the group, said: “This is an application borne of over rapid and non-mitigated increase in throughput, which delivered 15 years’ growth in just five years, causing an out of balance increase in impacts.
“The passenger cap was also reached in 2019, nine full years ahead of its expiry and the achievement of a long-term reduction of noise contour areas by 2028.”
Mr Wald said the council was “aware and involved in the accelerated growth without taking any effective steps to enforce against known planning breaches”.
“In 2019, by the applicant’s own admission, some 30 flights during the day and 13 by night were being flown during the busy summer period over and above what was properly permitted, largely by unmodernised aircraft making more noise and carbon emissions,” he added.
Mr Wald said due to the alignment of the runway, much of the environmental impact fell on “the towns and villages on north and west Hertfordshire, west into the Aylesbury Vale and Chilterns, and north into Huntingdonshire”.
Representing independent charity CPRE, Gethin Thomas said the plans would “result in an increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases”.
“The future reductions promised from 2027 onwards are contingent on the same promise made previously, better and quieter aircraft, coupled with a long-term noise strategy,” Mr Thomas said.
“CRPE Hertfordshire remains deeply concerned those promises wouldn’t be fulfilled, and the impact on the countryside will be substantial and long lasting.”
John Steel KC, representing Luton Borough Council, said acoustic consultant concluded “there’d be no material adverse impact caused by the proposed increase in passengers to 19 million”.
He said there was no national policy that “proposes a cap on or no growth of airports”.
“The opposite is true. Growth would be supported where justified,” Mr Steel said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-63080979
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Luton Airport dismisses climate change as factor in planning inquiry
By Euan Duncan Local Democracy Reporter (Herts Ad)
September 28, 2022
The Luton Airport planning inquiry continues…
Achieving net zero nationally by 2050 involves permitting aviation growth, a planning inquiry at Luton Town Hall was told. [sic]
Opposition to a passenger capacity increase at London Luton Airport based around climate change is outside of the scope of the inquiry, it was claimed.
That would be a national issue concerning disagreement with government policy, according to legal counsel for the airport operator London Luton Airport Operations Limited and applicant James Strachan.
Luton Borough Council approved LLAOL’s plans to raise the capacity by 1m to 19m annually and vary noise contours.
But the scheme was called in by two Secretaries of State, resulting in the current six-week planning inquiry which began yesterday (Tuesday).
Mr Strachan explained: “This application seeks variation of certain conditions attached to a permission of 2017.
“This includes increasing the passenger cap to 19m, a 5.5% rise in overall numbers, allowing for temporary amendments to the summer day and night-time noise contours, updating the parking management plan and to amend the passenger travel plan.
“We say this should clearly be permitted. It accords with the development plan and it’s strongly supported by national policy.
“Even if it had departed from the development plan, there are significant other material considerations why it should be permitted in any event.
“The council carefully scrutinised the application over 11 months, with independent expert consultants to perform a detailed review of the noise and climate change aspects.”
LBC granted approval in accordance with the recommendation made by planning officers in light of independent advice, said Mr Strachan.
“The application did conflict with certain parts of the development plan regarding predicted noise effects, but there were other material considerations why it should be permitted.
“The case for the scheme has become even stronger. The most up-to-date assessment shows the predicted noise effects aren’t significant, and will be imperceptible.
“Luton and district association for the control of aircraft noise (LADACAN) has based its objection against an artificial baseline which ignores this is an application to vary the variation permission.
“LADACAN says the baseline should be assessed against operating the airport at 12.4m passengers per annum. We say that position has no basis in fact or law.
“The jet zero strategy explicitly states the government continues to support airport expansion where justified.
“This achieves better use of the airport’s runway without any significant rise in noise for environmental impact assessment purposes.”
This application will result in more stringent noise contours in the long-term, coupled with a significantly improved noise insulation scheme, and accord with relevant national aviation policy, he added.
“Climate change is a national issue. Achieving net zero by 2050 involves permitting aviation growth.
“The plans include a requirement for the airport to agree a carbon reduction strategy with council. That will assess the carbon emissions from the airport itself.
“Opposition on the basis of climate change is based in reality around a disagreement on government policy.
“The proposal allows for a 5.5% increase in passenger numbers at the airport without any need for extra infrastructure.”
The inquiry continues.
https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/local-council/luton-airport-expansion-inquiry-latest-9297350
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Noise effects caused by million-passenger increase at Luton Airport ‘not significant’
The rise in noise levels would be ‘imperceptible’ according to the airport
bedfordshirelive
29.9.2022
Achieving net zero nationally by 2050 involves permitting aviation growth, a planning inquiry at Luton Town Hall was told. Opposition to a passenger capacity increase at London Luton Airport based around climate change is outside of the scope of the inquiry, it was claimed. The same inquiry said that any noise effects caused by the passenger increase would be deemed ‘not significant’.
The net zero issue would be a national issue concerning disagreement with government policy, according to legal counsel for the airport operator London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL) and applicant James Strachan. Luton Borough Council (LBC) approved LLAOL’s plans to raise the capacity by 1m to 19m annually and vary noise contours.
But the scheme was called in by two Secretaries of State, resulting in the current six-week planning inquiry which began today (Tuesday, September 27). Mr Strachan explained: “This application seeks variation of certain conditions attached to a permission of 2017.
“This includes increasing the passenger cap to 19m, a 5.5 per cent rise in overall numbers, allowing for temporary amendments to the summer day and night-time noise contours, updating the parking management plan and to amend the passenger travel plan. We say this should clearly be permitted. It accords with the development plan and it’s strongly supported by national policy.
“Even if it had departed from the development plan, there are significant other material considerations why it should be permitted in any event. The council carefully scrutinised the application over 11 months, with independent expert consultants to perform a detailed review of the noise and climate change aspects.”
LBC granted approval in accordance with the recommendation made by planning officers in light of independent advice, said Mr Strachan. “The application did conflict with certain parts of the development plan regarding predicted noise effects, but there were other material considerations why it should be permitted.
“The case for the scheme has become even stronger. The most up-to-date assessment shows the predicted noise effects aren’t significant, and will be imperceptible. Luton and district association for the control of aircraft noise (LADACAN) has based its objection against an artificial baseline which ignores this is an application to vary the variation permission.
“LADACAN says the baseline should be assessed against operating the airport at 12.4m passengers per annum. We say that position has no basis in fact or law. The jet zero strategy explicitly states the government continues to support airport expansion where justified. This achieves better use of the airport’s runway without any significant rise in noise for environmental impact assessment purposes.”
This application will result in more stringent noise contours in the long-term, coupled with a significantly improved noise insulation scheme, and accord with relevant national aviation policy, he added. “Climate change is a national issue. Achieving net zero by 2050 involves permitting aviation growth.
“The plans include a requirement for the airport to agree a carbon reduction strategy with council. That will assess the carbon emissions from the airport itself. Opposition on the basis of climate change is based in reality around a disagreement on government policy. The proposal allows for a 5.5 per cent increase in passenger numbers at the airport without any need for extra infrastructure.”
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