City Airport plans approved again
Newham Council has defended its decision to give planning permission to London City Airport to increase flights by 50 per cent.
Councillors voted to accept the plans at a meeting in Newham Town Hall on Wednesday evening.
A council spokeswoman said: "Following an extensive consultation process, which included a significant amount of input from members of the public, we are confident that this decision is in the best interest of the communities of Newham.
"This decision will pump an additional £26million into the local economy, create new jobs for local residents, boost tourism in the area and also create the potential for further investment in local infrastructure."
The original application to increase the airport's annual flight cap from 80,000 to 120,000 was given the go-ahead last October.
However, the council held an update meeting following representations made by environmental group Friends of the Earth on race equality impact, climate change and air quality.
The council spokeswoman added: "We have listened to local residents' concerns about noise and as a result, we recommend that the aircraft movements are capped at 120,000 per year, which includes flights from the Jet Centre.
"This was based on an assessment of the information submitted with the application, which concluded that there are environmental and economic impacts.
"We have disallowed the application to increase early morning movements. Instead, we propose this to be reduced to six flights with tighter controls in the first 15 minute period.
"We have also ensured that the restrictions on the airport's night time and weekend operation are maintained.
"The expansion of the airport will also lead to the creation of a new council officer post, funded by the airport, to monitor the activities of the London City Airport and ensure the development remains within the guidelines approved by council."
The news will undoubtedly disappoint anti-aviation groups as well as campaigners who live near the airport.
This week, anti-expansion group Fight The Flights told The Wharf it was looking into the legality of the council's decision.
However, business leaders have already spoken out in support of the council's decision.
Chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Colin Stanbridge said: "Quality aviation services are vital for the continued success of London's financial districts and the capital's economic prosperity as a whole.
"By allowing more flights in and out of the airport we are reinforcing our reputation as the world's leading business centre and can expect to benefit from an increase in global trade that comes with improved transport links."
"The current decline in demand for business travel is only temporary and in the long term this extra capacity will ensure that pent up demand is satisfied and that we are best placed to take advantage of the economic recovery."
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1. It is a scandal that Newham Councillor granted this planning application.
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2. When I bought my flat many years ago, I could not hear any planes, because they largely used small 30 seater planes.
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3. However today, the aiport has broken all promises. The is now using large 100 seater regional sized jet.
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4. The airport keeps telling residents, it is your fault for living near airport. But which came first the residents or the airport?
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5. I cannot open the windows duering the summertime, I have to suffer in the heatwave. Even with windows shut, I can hear aircraft taking off. It never used to be like this.
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6. The airport keeps saying how bring prosperity to the area. If this is true - then why is it Building 1000 stood empty for 5 years failing to attract a single corporate client?. This office complex sits opposite the runway and costs £100m.
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7. It seems funny that business love the airport, but can't seem to find themselves to move Building 1000. I mean who wants their offices opposite a runway with jets thundering at 90dB?.
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8. As for jobs claims. The airport itself only employs 406 people, and only 106 are from Newham. So how much local benefit does the airport provide. The supermarket employs more people and at least it does not cause a nuisance to neighbours!
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9. Most of the airlines our of City airport are foreign operating. Even one British airline pays its staff in Euros. So they pay no UK tax!
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10. The airlines don't pay fuel tax or VAT.
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11. And if the airport is a business, why does it not pay for its own policing costs. This is in contrast to the local area where crime is high!
1. It went thru all channels and a extensive consultation process to reevaluate the decision
2. So you expect no business to expand at anytime because you brought a house near it. What if it was a building yard and had grown to have trucks passing by every few minutes?
3. only using specific regional jets that adhere to noise regulations after an expensive certification and not allowing aircraft that do not meet the requirments.
4.mostly the airport. Alot of the properties are built after the airport.
5. in a heatwave with your windows open you get lots of noise be that noisy neighbors music, mopeds, police sirens. And that is just as bad at the evenings and weekends when the airport is shut!
6. The same reason alot of building are empty and lots of jobs have been lost!
7. The building meets modern noise regulations, its not an issue!
8. The airport authority employs 406 people the thousands more are employed by the airlines, refuellers, check in staff, dispatchers, shop workers, coffe shops, car parking, hire cars, pilots, cabin crew, office admin, and all the other trade you find at a airport.
9. Its not British its Irish, and hence euros. The whole point of airports is to let people travel so the in bound flights bring money and skills into the country. Be that foreign investment, trade, tourism.
10. And you would not in your car if you were exporting it out of the country. its the same reason you can by your duty free!
11. Airports do a lot of a policing in the form of security. Paid for by the airport the uniformed presence is a modern requirement in the same way the British Transport police are on the tube network.