london city not to appeal planning decision
London City's CEO told the Financial Times (8/10/24) she was “disappointed” about the Government's refusal to allow Saturday flights after 12.30pm, but the airport would not appeal. .https://ft.com/content/6b04bd61-cda1-46b7-85c6-1ab9e404b217…
IMPLICATIONS OF PUBLIC INQUIRY DECISION
On Monday the Government announced its decision on London City Airport’s application to expand (see our immidate press release below). It endorsed the Public Inquiry Inspector’s recommendations:
REFUSED permission for planes to operate on Saturday afternoons
GRANTED permission to operate 3 more planes during the first half hour of operation from 6.30am till 7am
GRANTED permission to increase annual passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million a year
Full judgment: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-applications-called-in-decisions-and-recovered-appeals#recovered-planning-appeals
The preservation of the weekend break is a big win for communities, Newham Council, the planning authority and the many MPs, GLA members and councils who fought to preserve the break from the noise between 12.30pm on Saturday and 12.30 on Sunday.
At the Inquiry City Airport argued that Saturday afternoon flying was central to its strategy to attract 'high value' leisure passengers to replace the diminishing business market. That argument was not accepted by the Inspector.
Remember, City was not applying for permission to operate more planes. There is a cap of 111,000 per year. In due course, any extra passengers will largely be accommodated on larger planes. These planes will cause less climate emissions. But they will not be significantly quieter. Although they will be quieter on departure close to the airport, they are unlikely to be noticeably quieter elsewhere. Private jets did not feature in City's application.
What are the implications of the decision?
The weekend break will remain
If the market is there, the airport may reach its annual ceiling of 111,000 within about 6 or 7 years. But there is considerable doubt whether the market will be there. In 2019, the last full year of operation, there were 83,000 flights. Last year it was just over 50,000.
New planes will be gradually phased in. They will be larger (though, because of where the airport is sited, there is a limit to the size of plane that can be accommodated - Ryanair and Easyjet plans, for example, are too big for it. The will be marginally quieter, though the difference in most places will be so small that it will be imperceptible to the human ear; only on departure close to the airport will there be a noticeable difference. They are likely to be more fuel-efficient than the current planes and so emit less CO2 emissions.
BREAKING 19TH AUGUST: PUBLIC INQUIRY DECISION
PRESS RELEASE
19/08/24 for immediate use
BIG WIN FOR LONDON CITY AIRPORT RESIDENTS
The Government has just announced that it has rejected a key part of London City Airport’s to expand. It has refused permission for planes to operate on Saturday afternoons (1).
It has granted the airport permission to operate more planes during the first half hour of operation from 6.30am till 7am and to increase annual passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN East which gives a voice to communities impacted by London City, said, “This is a big win for residents. It maintains their weekend break from the noise between 12.30pm on Saturday and 12.30 on Sunday.”
Full judgment: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-applications-called-in-decisions-and-recovered-appeals#recovered-planning-appeals
HACAN EAST IN THE NEWS
HACAN EAST COMMITTEE MEMBER JACKIE LAIDLER
Following the announcement of the expansion decision, HACAN East has featured prominently in the media. We appeared on BBC London News. ITV London News and were quoted in the Times, Telegraph and Financial Times as well as many of the local papers.
LONDON CITY PUBLIC INQUIRY
Sratford: venue of the public inquiry
as public inquiry ends…….wHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Thank you to everybody who helped us make our case against London City Airport's expansion plans at the Public Inquiry. It ended on Friday 2nd February. The Inspector’s report and recommendation is now with the Secretaries of State for Transport and Levelling Up for decision. Uner the last Government a decision was expected by August 19th. That date is now uncertain. There is the possiblity the decision could be challenged through a Judicial Review but only on the grounds that due process had not been followed.
Some videos from the closing day
HACAN East barrister Lois Lane tells the closing day of the Public Inquiry that the proposed Saturday afternoon flying would be a breach of the deal for a 24 hour break over the weekend.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E60PhYK1R9U
Newham Council's barrister says that new noise would be 'plain as a pikestaff' if London City were allowed to operate on Saturday afternoons...for the first time ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfP4MOUdOFo
HACAN East barrister Lois Lane highlights the number of people that would be impacted if London City’s plans to operate on a Saturday afternoon go ahead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTRmi4QVkyU
AND
For a quick summary of the Inquiry, check out our newseltter: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:3e1fe6a2-b2b0-4ba7-b970-db6d7563fe81 Below that, evidence given by HACAN East’s wtinesses.
Evidence Given to the Inquiry by HACAN EAST
HACAN East argued that the new quieter aircraft would only be noticeable closer to the airport and only on departure as, elsewhere, the planes were only 2-3 decibels quieter, which the CAA acknowledges is imperceptible to the human ear. The evidence was given by Dr Christian Nold:
HACAN East chair John Stewart in his evidence spelt out the large number of people impacted by London City. He argued for an imaginative suite of metrics to be used to better capture this. He also emphasized the problems caused after the flight paths were concentrated in 2016.
HACAN East challenged many of the assumptions behind the airport’s economic case for expansion with the evidence of economist Dr Alex Chapman
Our planning and climate evidence was given by Jake Farmer of DLP Planning Ltd
You can watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxIsOgh_iXI
Initial Timetable
We have received the detailed programme for the Public Inquiry (below)
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:41acabd6-5c77-4877-b10c-e0138204bbc5
Venue: The Hyatt Hotel, 10a Chestnut Plaza – which is just beside Westfields in Stratfordou can watch it on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxIsOgh_iXI For some reason that will only function from the 16th January, rather than from 1pm on Monday 15th when the Inquiry starts.
PUBLIC INQUIRY POSTPONED
London City Airport Public Inquiry postponed until January because Newham Council's barrister is ill. Will now run for 2 weeks beginning 15th January.
The venue will be the Hyatt Recency Hotel, beside Westfields in Stratford (pictured above). We will post details when we have them, including information of how to view it online. After the Public Inquiry, the Inspector will write a report with a recommendation. The report will go to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of Sate for Levelling up, Housing and Communities. They will take the final decision. It is expected during the first half of 2024.
To remind you:
London City Airport wants to:
Allow flights on Saturdays until 7.30pm (6.30pm during some winter months). At present no flights are permitted between 12.30pm on Saturday and 12.30pm on Sunday.
Allow more flights in the first hour of operation between 6.30 - 7.30am
Increase annual passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million
It is not proposing to lift the annual cap of 111,000 (though that could be reached by 2031 if the plans are given permission). And it is not proposing to introduce night flights.
The airport argues that the new larger planes which will be introduced will be less noisy. HACAN East will be giving evidence to the Inquiry the the noise difference will be imperceptible to most people overflown. https://gat04-live-1517c8a4486c41609369c68f30c8-aa81074.divio-media.org/filer_public/a0/42/a04253c4-c9da-446a-8aaa-5d413b572dad/christian_nold_-_re-referenced_proof_of_evidence_16-11-2023.pdf
You can read the evidence that London City Airport and Newham Council will be giving to the Inquiry here: https://gateleyhamer-pi.com/en-gb/lcal/inquiry-documents/proofs-evidence/hacan/
the briefing below is AN AT-A-GLANCE summary of THE PROPOSALS BEFORE THE INQUIRY AND WHERE THEY HAVE COME FROM
A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSALS BEFORE THE INQUIRY AND HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS
Our short briefing charts the somewhat complex journey from expansion proposals took from when they first emerged in 2019. They have changed over the years. This briefing should make it easier to follow the twists and turns that took place, detailed on this page and in the archives. In fact it acts as a summary.
Read the briefing: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:e7ec6ee3-a535-4746-a9a0-fc59e51134fe
WE LAUNCH CROWDFUNDER
HACAN East has launched a CrowdFunder to help with our legal costs at the forthcoming Public Inquiry into London City Airport's expansion plans.
We have assembled a top legal team plus expert witnesses on NOISE, HEALTH, PLANNING AND ECONOMICS.
Any donation you can make much appreciated.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/-eashacant-635?utm_term=QKE3WjYYA
WHY THE INQUIRY IS TAKING PLACE
Newham Council, the Planning Authority, refused permission for London City Airport’s expansion plans (see press release below). The Airport then appealed. Link to the Newham officer’s report recommending refusal:
Amongst the 500 plus responses to Newham’s consultation on London City’s expansion proposals have been strong objections from a number of key bodies, such as the Mayor for London, the London Assembly and the London boroughs of Waltham Forest, Lewisham and Greenwich. As an example, here is Greenwich’s response:
Yesterday Newham Council refused London City’s application to expand. Below is the press release HACAN East have put out.
PRESS RELEASE
11/7/2023 for immediate use
LONDON CITY EXPANSION PLANS REJECTED
London City Airport has been refused permission to expand. Newham Council, the planning authority, turned down the airport's planning application yesterday. Councillors on the Strategic Development Committee voted unanimously to reject it.
London City had sought permission to increase annual passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million, operate more early morning flights, and fly on Saturday afternoon. Currently no flights are permitted between 12.30pm on Satruday and 12.30pm Sunday in order to give residents a break from the noise. This extra noise at weekends was the main reason the council gave for refusing the application.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN East, which gives a voice to residents impacted by the airport, welcomed the decision: "People value the weekend break from the noise. It was brought in because people live so close to the airport. Newham Council was right to reject the proposal to eat into it."
It is uncertain what the airport will do now. If could appeal to the Government to 'call in' the proposal. If the Government agreed to do so, there would be a Public Inquiry.
ENDS
For more information:
John Stewart on 07957385650