The Secretary of State for Transport has laid before Parliament a draft Airports National Policy Statement (Airports NPS) under section 9(2) of the Planning Act 2008 and published an accompanying consultation. This begins a period of public consultation and UK Parliamentary scrutiny.
The Government believes there is a clear need for additional airport capacity. A Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport would provide the greatest economic and employment benefits, potentially delivering tens of thousands of additional local jobs by 2030 and up to £61bn of economic benefits based on a carbon-traded scenario, not including wider trade benefits, over 60 years. It would also provide new global connections, better connections for domestic customers, lower fares for passengers and new capacity for freight imports and exports. The benefits of the scheme would be felt by businesses and passengers across the UK. By publishing the draft NPS and the consultation, the Secretary of State is sending a clear message that Britain is open for business.
The draft Airports NPS lays down the planning policy which an applicant must comply with in order to get development consent in respect of a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport. It sets out the need for additional airport capacity, as well as the reasons why a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport is the Government’s preferred scheme. The draft Airports NPS specifies the requirements that an applicant would need to comply with in order to be granted the requisite development consent. These include requirements on air quality, noise, carbon and community compensation.
The Department has also published an Appraisal of Sustainability of the draft Airports NPS. This assesses the potential economic, social and environmental impacts of the proposed policy in the draft Airports NPS, incorporating a Strategic Environmental Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Equalities Impact Assessment, and Health Impact Analysis.
Airspace Policy consultation
You will also want to be aware that, in parallel to the draft Airport NPS consultation, the Government is consulting on UK airspace policy, which is an important issue for the whole country. The proposals being published for consultation today aim to strike a balance between unlocking the economic and social benefits of modernising airspace and addressing the local impacts of aviation.
In particular, we are establishing an Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise, which will build trust in the way noise is taken into account when airspace decisions are made. To complement this, we are proposing guidance on how noise impacts should be assessed and used to inform decisions on airspace options.
By providing this pathway to bringing airspace management into the 21st century, we will support sustainable growth and secure our position as a world leader in aviation.
The policy principles set out in the airspace policy consultation would, if the draft Airports NPS were to be designated, influence decisions taken later in the planning process for a Northwest Runway at Heathrow, including how local communities can have their say on airspace matters and how impacts on them are taken into account. Alongside the consultation on Airspace Policy: draft Air Navigation Guidance; and the Strategic Rationale for upgrading the UK’s airspace is also being published.
Next steps
Both the consultations will last for 16 weeks and close on 25 May 2017. As part of the consultation process, the Department for Transport will be holding twenty local and thirteen regional events across the United Kingdom to provide more information about both consultations and for key stakeholders to have the opportunity to ask questions about the potential impacts of the proposals. The purpose of this letter is to invite your organisation to attend one of the regional events, which are by invitation only.
You can register to attend by following the link www.aviationconsultations.com and entering your email address and unique password: #NAME?