Agenda item

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment & Transport and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member.

(1)     The Cabinet Committee received a report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport and the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport which contained the draft discussion document setting out Kent County Council’s (KCC) proposed view on how the UK can meet its aviation needs for the consideration of the Committee.  Paul Crick, Director Environment, Planning and Enforcement, and Joe Ratcliffe, Principal Transport Planner – Strategy, were in attendance to introduce the report and in particular referred to the following:

(2)     Facing the Aviation Challenge took account of KCC’s earlier discussion document ‘Bold Steps for Aviation’ (May 2012, with revisions in July 2012) and was consistent with KCC’s submissions to the Airports Commission between March 2013 and May 2014 including proposals for expansion of some existing airports, better utilisation of regional airports, improved accessibility to airports by rail and reform of Air Passenger Duty (APD); as an alternative to a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary, which is strongly opposed.  Improvements to the noise environment around airports also forms part of the proposed discussion document.

(3)     In ‘Facing the Aviation Challenge’, KCC recommends to Government:

•        The need for correction of the UK’s competitive disadvantage in terms of APD.

•        The creation of a National Policy Statement (NPS) for airports that supports the growth of existing airports with one net additional runway added in the South East by 2030.

•        The NPS should not however, support the development of new airports.

•        The NPS should support a phased approach to adding runway capacity to keep pace with demand, therefore allowing existing airports to add additional runway capacity when the need arises, most likely a second net additional runway in the South East by 2050.

•        The need for better utilisation of regional airports, especially in the short and medium terms, as this will provide much needed capacity across the South East and bring significant economic benefits to regional economies.

•        Investment is needed to improve surface access to airports; especially rail access and the development of an integrated air-rail transport system that will be beneficial to London and the South East’s connectivity to global markets.

•        An independent noise authority should be set up (as recommended by the Airports Commission) and measures taken to properly measure, minimise and mitigate the noise impacts of existing airport operations and airport expansion.

•        Proposals for a new hub airport must not be progressed any further. Action is needed now and this can only be achieved by building on the UK’s existing airport infrastructure.

•        In the interests of the national economy, action on these issues is needed now.

(4)     Members commented and raised concerns over the lack of reference in the paper to Manston.  At the full Council meeting on 17 July 2014 Members had voted unanimously to explore with Thanet District Council ways in which it could support proposals to retain Manston as an airport.  Members stated that Manston should be treated as feasible until it became unfeasible. 

(5)     In response to comments made and questions raised the Committee received the following additional information from officers:

(6)     Manston Airport had now closed, as of May 2014; if it had still been open it would be an asset.  As the airport was privately owned the future and fate of the airport was not within KCC’s remit.

(7)     Capacity was an issue.  Heathrow’s runways operated at 98.5% at peak periods with Gatwick operating close to this.  The Airports Commission’s interim report had shortlisted three feasible options for long term solutions, along with short and medium term measures for how to make the best use of existing airport capacity.

(8)     The three shortlisted options were:

·                a new third runway at Heathrow;

·                an extension of one of Heathrow’s two runways (to then effectively operate as two separate runways, i.e. provide three runways in total); and

·                a new second runway at Gatwick

(9)     All three options were currently being appraised and would be subject to national public consultation.  Proposals for a new hub airport in or around the Thames Estuary had not been shortlisted in the Airports Commission’s interim report.  However, the Commission was conducting further feasibility work for an airport on the Isle of Grain and would make a decision as to whether to add this option to the shortlist by September 2014. If shortlisted, the Isle of Grain airport proposal would then be appraised and consulted on in a similar way to the Heathrow and Gatwick options, before the Commission published its final report and recommendation to Government in summer 2015.  Facing the Aviation Challenge was strongly opposed to a Thames Estuary/Isle of Grain airport.

(10)     High rates of Air Passenger Duty (APD) meant that UK airports were at a competitive disadvantage with other European airports.  The Netherlands had abolished APD and Germany had a far lower APD than the UK.  In addition to changes in APD at a national level, reductions in APD at regional airports would provide them with a competitive advantage and could lead to relocation of some short haul leisure flights from congested airports.  This would free up capacity at Heathrow and Gatwick for more long haul flights, improving the UK’s global connectivity, while at the same time improving the viability of regional airports and providing connectivity and economic growth in the regions.  Although the Airports Commission ruled out this type of action in its interim report (December 2013) KCC urged Government to look into this issue again.

(11)     KCC advocated the expansion of existing London airports, which would provide an affordable and mainly privately financed solution which could be delivered within the required timescale, i.e. by 2030 when the Airports Commission recommended that one net additional runway in the South East is needed.  Heathrow and Gatwick airports had both put forward credible options for expansion which had been shortlisted for appraisal by the Airports Commission.

(12)     Better utilisation of regional airport capacity in the South East, such as Lydd Airport, for point to point flights, would complement the main London airports that provide ‘hub’ operations. 

(13)     Dr Eddy proposed, Mr Caller seconded that a paragraph in Section 3.4 Better utilisation of existing airports should be amended as follows:

Following its closure as a commercial airport in May 2014, a financially viable and sustainable future must be found for Manston airport. This should focus on the use of the site for aviation and related services as well as other businesses that can bring jobs and economic growth to East Kent.*

* words underlined have been inserted/changed.

(14)     The Cabinet Member accepted this amendment which was agreed by the Committee without a vote.

(15)     RESOLVED that, subject to the amendment in para 13 above, the Cabinet Committee endorsed the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport to adopt Kent County Council’s discussion document on aviation in ‘Facing the Aviation Challenge’ (July 2014).