News

Hart latest to oppose Farnborough expansion

By Steve Lloyd
August 19, 2009

HART councillors have condemned Farnborough Airport's plans to almost double its flights.

TAG, the airport’s owner, wants to increase the number of annual flights to 50,000 rather than the current 28,000.

It is also seeking permission to raise its 5,000 weekend and bank holiday flights to 8,900 a year, just over a year after it was told it could double them from 2,500.

But Hart District Council's planning committee has unanimously recommended neighbouring Rushmoor Borough Council rejects the increased flights application.

Among those objecting was committee vice-chairman James Radley, who represents people living at the Church Crookham end of the airport runway.

“Our primary concerns are the adverse impact on residents due to increased noise, air pollution and concern for those individuals whose properties would now fall within the extended Public Safety Zone,” he said.

“The committee also believes that TAG have failed to demonstrate the need for additional business jet movements given the international focus on tackling the most wasteful emitters of green house gases.

“Personally I believe that there is every reason to expect that in coming years international governments will look to restrict the use of private jets which contribute greatly to the tonnage of CO2 produced but for little economic or social benefit.

“So TAG do not need to expand to accommodate the 'need' for business aviation growth. There is no need for business aviation growth.

“Arguably there is a very real need for there to be a reduction in the use of these carbon inefficient corporate toys.”

Cllr Radley, leader of the Community Campaign Hart group and ward member for Church Crookham East, said he believed Rushmoor had received over 2,900 letters of objection and around 100 letters of support for the application.

“Clearly there is a considerable amount of public concern about this application,” he added.

“Hopefully Rushmoor will listen to the very real issues which people have raised.”

A TAG Farnborough Airport spokesman said the application follows the publication of its master plan.

“This is a document which outlines how the airport could make best use of existing infrastructure and explains the balances which need to

be struck in order to grow the number of flights permitted in a responsible way,” he added.

The spokesman said more than 1,800 new jobs could be created and that in taking account of local people's views and the concerns raised during the consultation, the company has made a number of community commitments.

These include no changes to the operating hours or the proportion of larger business jet flights that are currently permitted.

No additional runway or terminals need to be built and there will be no change to the permitted use of the airport as a business aviation facility and host of the biennial Farnborough International Airshow.

The spokesman added TAG is committed to tackling noise and taking an industry-leading approach to phase out all but the most modern and quietest categories of aircraft.

It also has a commitment to become a low carbon airport and achieve carbon neutrality as soon as reasonably possible.

| View Comments (5)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Most recent user comments 5 of 5

Do you really think that someone who can afford to fly a private jet out of Farnborough will stay in a local hotel before they take off? Stand at Southwood and watch the chauffeur driven Bentleys whisk the passengers straight from the M3 to the departure gate.

As for the office developments, they have nothing to do with the flying. They are there simply because the land was made available for building.

tj
22/08/2009 at 00:31

DickC -- You live 20 minutes drive from Farnborough Airport. If you lived 5 minutes away and under the flight path you may be entitled to some say in the matter. As for being a relatively deprived area -- most of Farnborough consists of leafy streets lined with highly desirable properties. If the expansion goes ahead, the value of these properties may decline and the area could become considerably more deprived.

Fogle 21.8.09

fogle, East Yorkshire
21/08/2009 at 08:32

'Its Douglas' should get out and look around the perimeter of Farnborough Airport. There are some major developments going on now which will provide jobs. Companies are locating here now and providing jobs now in the expectation that Farnborough will be the place to be. It has so much to offer and could with the wright backing become the leading growth centre in the South.

The housing developments underway show a massive commitment to building a new future for the area as are the hotel developments by Travellodge and in the form of the Aviator at one end of Farnborough's runway.

Are Councillors living in a dream world where job creation is a luxury we can opt in or out of at a whim - have they not realised that jobs are a necessity and what's more well paid jobs in aerospace technology, aviation, travel and tourism if this area is to survive and prosper.

If Councillors can't see the benefits in transforming Farnborough's economy and that of this area then perhaps they should consider whether they are acting in the best interests of their electors.

Dickc
20/08/2009 at 21:34

I live about 20 minutes drive from Farnborough Airport. I have watched it develop with interest and believe it has a vital role to play in addressing business and leisure travel needs. It is an asset not just to job creation but economic regeneration of Farnborough and the whole of this part of the South of England. It can act as a powerful magnet to draw business, investment, tourism and development. The whole area has an historic association with the aviation industry. It can as it grows - help foster those links, build opportunities for the leading edge technology industries already settled in the area and encourage more to do so. What it needs now is the backing of local authorities, the support of local industries and a 21st century transport infrastructure to make Farnborough one of the leading areas in which to locate. Farnborough right now is going through major change - somewhat belatedly and much more needs to be done. We need to encourage airport expansion at Farnborough and recognise fully the importance of its expansion to the regeneration of what in many respects has until recently been a relatively deprived area - desperately in need of imaginative planning and regeneration.

Dickc
20/08/2009 at 20:21

"The spokesman said more than 1,800 new jobs could be created ". Where exactly are these 1800 new jobs going to be. I am annoyed that you quote "a spokesman" - can we have his name please? - otherwise how can we challenge him or even know that you didn't invent him?