Bromley Council bosses will make a final decision on whether to back Biggin Hill Airport’s plans to extend its operating hours at the end of November.
Councillors will debate the proposals during a full council meeting before a final decision is made by the executive immediately afterwards from 7pm on Wednesday, November 25 in the Great Hall at Bromley Civic Centre.
Biggin Hill Airport has bold development plans to vary its operating hours, create 2,300 jobs, open an aviation college and cut its noise footprint in half.
The local authority has published the full report into the business airport’s plans, which will be considered at the meeting.
Councillor Stephen Carr, Bromley Council leader said: "We are taking this relatively unusual step of publishing and publicising this report as part of our commitment to keep everyone informed and to give an opportunity for the information to be properly considered."
Coun Carr has urged the borough’s residents to submit comments about the published report in the coming weeks so that their views can be considered and presented at the meeting.
Biggin Hill Airport
Some residents are concerned about the noise disruption extended hours will bring.
Others fear the extension could eventually lead to the airport taking on holidaymakers and more commercial airlines.
In an open letter to residents this week, airport managing director Will Curtis said: "Regardless of what you may have heard from some ill-informed groups, you can take it from me that we don’t want scheduled or holiday airlines at Biggin Hill Airport, we don’t need new runways and we don’t want to expand beyond our existing airport boundary.
"I live in Biggin Hill, and I don’t want to see a mini-Luton type airport on my doorstep and I know that you do not want that either."
The proposed extended hours are 6.30am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday and 8am to 11pm on Sundays and public holidays.
No more than eight flights would depart or land in the first half hour of the day from Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays, under the proposals.
No more than eight flights would depart or land in the last hour of the day.
Biggin Hill Airport
The current operating hours are from 6.30am to 10pm from Monday to Friday and 9am to 8pm on weekends and public holidays.
No flight training would take place before 9am and after 5pm at weekends as part of the airport’s Noise Action Plan.
You can view the full report at bromley.gov.uk/bigginhillairport and comments can be emailed to airport.consultation@bromley.gov.uk.
Alternatively you can post them to Airport Consultation Group, Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel