Key meeting: March 25

By Maria Zaccaro, Local Democracy Reporter

Eastleigh councillors are being recommended to conditionally approve [officers' report – pdf] controversial plans to extend the runway at Southampton Airport at a meeting on March 25.

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Suggested conditions include a cap to restrict vehicle movements to the airport to 2.45 million; a noise insulation policy and noise action plan for residential and "sensitive non-residential buildings"; noise monitoring, noise contours and noise contour cap with annual report to the council demonstrating compliance with the noise contour.

Restrictions on night time flying, an air quality strategy and a carbon strategy will be also required to be in place.

Southampton City Council, as a consultee, has objected to the scheme on the grounds of pollution, noise and climate change, as have other residents and experts - largely uniting under campaign group AXO (Airport eXpansion Opposition Southampton).

In the report Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) planning officers said:

"In coming to a recommendation, officers have had regard to the high number of comments received, both in favour and against the proposals, together with the delivery of policy and technical requirements. Officers have also considered whether, given the potential for future changes in national policy on aviation and climate change, the application should be deferred, but they do not consider that this would be warranted since the national policy position is likely to continue to evolve for some time. For the same reasons, officers do not consider that refusal on prematurity grounds would be warranted, and in any event, that is a concept under the NPPF which applies in relation to emerging development plans, rather than emerging national policy."

"Ultimately ... officers consider that permission should be granted, subject to the conditions set out in this report and the completion of a section 106 agreement."

Southampton Airport previously said the expansion is vital for the future of the airport.

The runway expansion would allow the use of larger planes, such as Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

The final decision is likely to be taken by the EBC's Local Area Committee, which is scheduled to discuss the issue on March 25 at a virtual meeting starting at 10 am – and likely to last some hours.

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