Decision details

The Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He outlined the areas of the plan, highlighting that there would be no need for a second runway to be built and that any new development would take place within the boundaries of the airport. He advised Members that with the increase of tonnage and passengers, the Council would be asking the airport to give further consideration to committing to the provision of additional bus services.  

The Chief Executive advised Members that through the consultation response, it would be timely to push forward, along with other service/employment providers, the consideration of a bus service to link the north and south of the District, suggesting that this be recommended through the work of the LLEP.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

The Council advises East Midlands Airport that:

1.     The commitment to review the Master Plan every 5 years is welcomed;

2.     The vision should be amended to reflect the need to balance economic considerations against other impacts, particularly environmental.

3.     It  supports the targets for both single occupancy car usage and passenger access by public transport;

4.     Progress towards these targets should be monitored as part of the airport’s annual monitoring report;

5.     It considers that the list of priority new bus services should be reconsidered;

6.     Requests that further consideration be given by the airport to providing a firmer commitment to the provision of additional bus services to serve the airport;

7.     The future land use plan needs to be made clearer;

8.     Additional evidence is required to support the forecasts of 10 million passengers and 700,000 tonnes of cargo by 2040 otherwise the department of transport forecast should be used to provide the basis for the Master Plan;

9.     In the event that the department of transport forecasts are used then the need for additional facilities be reassessed accordingly;

10.  It would be helpful if interim forecasts for the period up to 2040 were included in the Master Plan;

11.  Future annual monitoring reports should assess progress against both the department of transport forecasts and the airports forecasts;

12.  The option to extend the runway permission is not available and so the consent should either be implemented or allowed to lapse with submission of a new application to extend the runway when required;

13.  It welcomes the clarity in the Master Plan that a second runway is not likely to be needed by 2040;

14.  It notes the proposals in respect of the Pegasus Business Park, the provision of a new cargo area at the eastern end of the runway and additional car parking south of Argosy Road and will give consideration to these as part of preparing the Council’s new Local Plan;

15.  It notes the suggestion for possible additional employment land south of the A453 and will give consideration to this as part of preparing the Council’s new Local Plan;

16.  The design of any scheme for water storage capacity gives full consideration to the potential impact upon properties and settlements downstream of the airport;

17.  It notes and welcomes the commitment in the Master Plan to ‘limit and reduce where possible the number of people affected by noise’;

18.  Further information should be provided to support the identification of a noise envelope based on noise contours rather than any of the other alternatives referred to in the aviation framework;

19.  It considers that a separate consultation should be undertaken in respect of the noise action plan so that stakeholders can better understand the likely implications of the provisions of the Master Plan in respect of noise.

20.  It welcomes the inclusion of a specific section setting out how the airport will work with local communities;

21.  It welcomes the range of community initiatives identified;

22.  That with the support of the LLEP, the airport considers working with other providers in the area to support new bus services to link the north and south of the district.

Reason for decision: To agree the Council’s position.