Runway expansion plans suffer setback

CIVIC chiefs have dealt a blow to plans for expanding the runway at Southampton Airport.

In debate lasting 17 hours across two days, councillors on Eastleigh’s Local Area Committee rejected the plans.

Now a final decision will be made by full council on April 8.

In a joint open letter penned before the meeting, chairman Brian Johnson and chief executive Anne-Marie Mountifield said refusing the plans would be be a ‘step away from an ambition to support the recovery the economy needs’.

After the meeting, Steve Szalay, operations director at Southampton Airport said: ‘Naturally, we are very disappointed with the lack of support (from the committee).

‘The committee did not support the recommendations of the planning officer and in doing so it has gone against the majority of Eastleigh residents who expressed their support during the consultation as well as the local business community.

‘However, this is far from over. We now welcome the opportunity to present our plans to the full council.’

Council members heard how the runway expansion would create more than 1,000 jobs, boost the local economy and result in a £15m investment.

But concerns were raised over the impact the move would have on noise and climate change.

The number of people affected by noise would go from 11,450 in 2020 to 46,050 in 2033, if the expansion goes ahead the meeting was told.

Officers said the mitigation measures proposed – including insulation and a cap on vehicles to restrict passengers to 3m per annum – would result in a ‘moderate adverse impact’.