Updated Southampton Airport says its Woodland Management Plan (WMP) for Marlhill Copse will be considered at the next city council planning meeting on January 26 [Update 13/1/21 - we're now told it's to be be considered at a subsequent planning meeting].
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The airport says in its latest WMP newsletter [pdf download] it bought the copse, an area of woodland to the south of the runway extending as far as River Walk, in 2018 "after decades of neglect", "in order to undertake tree management work required under European aviation legislation".
It says on one of its Marlhill Copse website pages its "vision ... is to deliver a place of extraordinary biodiversity that provides a safe, sustainable, and accessible space which educates, inspires, and is prized by all".
Critics called last summer for the airport's WMP to be debated in public by councillors rather than simply rubber stamped by officers, and detail a slew of concerns about changes at Marlhill on their 'Protect Marlhill Copse' website. They say the WMP needs to be approved before airport expansion can take place.
There are various outstanding planning applications relating to tree work at Marlhill lodged with the city, although the airport says it wants to consolidate WMP comments, which it encourages from the community, under reference 20/00340/TPO.
The full WMP is available to download on the council's planning portal (along with 45 other supporting documents!) under the above application's "Documents" tab.
Update 13/1/21: We understand the WMP now won't now be considered on 26/1/21 but at a subsequent planning meeting to be confirmed
Planning applications on the council's portal currently awaiting decisions
