As the Government consults on revisions to the Airports National Policy Statement - and following the recent court decisions on the proposed expansions of Gatwick and Luton airports - CILT(UK) states that these developments highlight the importance of an up-to-date and comprehensive national policy framework for airport expansion across the UK.
CILT(UK) notes the recent decisions by the courts to dismiss an appeal against the decision to expand Gatwick Airport, and to decline an application to appeal against the expansion of Luton Airport. While it is right that in such cases legal challenge should be possible, the track record of recent appeals is such that they are usually done in vain.
The Gatwick Appeal Court decision notes that the Secretary of State's decision to permit expansion was correctly based on the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS). This was designated in 2018 and based on the recommendations of the Airports Commission in 2015 which in turn was based on evidence collected in previous years.
Chris Tarry, Chair of the Aviation Policy Group at CILT(UK), explained: “The ANPS is out of date and the Government is currently consulting on a revised National Policy Statement. However, although the legal challenge was rightly dismissed, it is clear that the 2018 ANPS needs updating to reflect the current and expected situation. It was also argued during the legal challenges that the way the 2018 ANPS dealt with airports other than Heathrow was open to interpretation. Policy for other airports was set out in the 'Making Best Use' (MBU) document also issued in 2018.
“It is CILT(UK)'s view that the revision of the 2018 ANPS should cover the whole of the UK to be a national policy statement. Its focus on Heathrow (it is to be named the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement or HENPS) is inadequate and, although the Government's consultation asks if the MBU should be amended, the CILT(UK)'s view is that MBU should be included in one truly National Policy Statement for airport expansion.”
Only such a NPS would be able to reconcile the national issues relating to forecasts, benefits and environment impacts such as climate change.
CILT(UK) will be responding to the consultation on the draft HENPS by the due date.