Changes to airport master plan

Clipping: thisiskent

Thanet council’s leading group is to consider a report recommending changes to the Manston airport draft master plan. On Thursday, April 9 the Tory cabinet will discuss recommendations made by its airport working party, chaired by Cllr Bob Bayford, in response to proposals put forward by airport owners Infratil.

Proposed amendments include more specific measurable targets on the airport’s environmental goals including sustainability, becoming carbon neutral, and emission control including proposals on airline offsetting measures.

The report also recommends more specific details on establishing an Air Transport Forum and developing a strategy to cope with predicted growth. It calls for realistic revisions to forecasts hoping for greater use of public transport and other means of transport than private cars. The recommendations also call for reference to the impact of the present economic conditions on predictions for short-term development at the airport. It wants the inclusion of more specific proposals for the phasing of development proposals and associated infrastructure provision required up to 2018, with details of approximate costs at today’s prices.

The working party’s recommendations, which need to be approved by both the cabinet and full council, also include a call for more specific proposals, with timescales, on the implementation of environmental studies to assess the implications of the airport’s planned growth. The document calls for the master plan to define how it aims to meet all the requirements of the Section 106 agreement, including night flying and adherence to take off and landing routes. If approved by the cabinet, the report is due to go to full council on April 23.

Matt Clarke, chief executive of Kent International Airport, said:

“The purpose of the consultation period for the Master Plan was to obtain feedback on our proposals, which will then be included within the final document as appropriate. We look forward to receiving the formal feedback from the council when it arrives.”