Appeal launched against planning decision

(press release issued 5 December 2006 by BAA)

Following Uttlesford District Council's refusal to grant permission for passenger growth on Stansted's existing single runway, the airport has moved quickly to launch an appeal. The matter will now be heard at a Public Inquiry in the new year.

Terry Morgan, Stansted's managing director, said:

"We remain very confident of our case which is why we have now lodged this appeal. In doing so, we firmly reject each and every one of the Council's reasons for refusal.

"It's our view that the Council failed to attach appropriate weight to the direct, specific and up-to-date national policy support for growth at Stansted as set out in the Government's ‘Future of Air Transport’ White Paper. We also consider that it failed to take account of the large net economic benefits that would be generated.

"We were also disappointed that several of the reasons for refusal cite that BAA has not put forward adequate mitigation measures. Yet at no time did the Council discuss such measures with us or respond to the proposals we put forward to reduce impacts which could have resolved some of their concerns.

"On climate change, the Council's view is incoherent. They claim it would be premature to grant planning permission until the Government has clarified its response to the Stern Review. BAA argue that there is nothing in the Stern Review or the Government's potential response to it that could reasonably lead the Council to suppose that the Government will be calling for a halt to any further growth at Stansted.

"Our application was fully in line with the terms of local and regional structure plans and we don't believe the Council has given any substantial reason to justify refusing our application because it is not in accordance with those plans.

"I can only reiterate, we remain very confident of the case we have made and that this will be fully recognised at public inquiry."

Notes to Editors

For full information on Stansted Airport expansion plans visit: www.stanstedairport.com/future
This planning application relates to growth on Stansted's existing single runway at Stansted - it has no connection to the proposals for a second runway at the airport.
Stansted Airport has a number of planning condition limits, imposed in 2003 by Uttlesford District Council (UDC), which restrict the passengers numbers to 25 million passengers per annum (mppa) and the number of air transport movements (ATMs) to 241,000 per year.
The planning application is seeking permission to remove the cap on passenger numbers (Stansted is the only UK airport capped in this manner) and to increase the limit on ATMs to 264,000 a year.
It is not asking permission for any additional physical developments or facilities that do not currently have planning approval; nor is it seeking any modification to current night flight restrictions.
Stansted is the UK's third busiest airport serving over 23.5 million passengers a year. It is expected the current permitted limit of 25 mppa will be reached in 2008.
Extensive public consultation on the Generation 1 proposals took place between 27 July 2005 and 31 October 2005, including 27 exhibitions in local towns and villages.
The application was accompanied by a comprehensive Environmental Statement that assessed the effects of development on a range of topics including Air Noise, Air Quality, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Economic Effects, Employment and Housing Effects, Energy, Ground Noise, Landscape and Visual Impact, Nature Conservation, Surface Access, Third Party Risk, Waste, Water, Construction and Air Traffic Data.

BAA Stansted response to Uttlesford District Council's planning decision

(press release issued 29 November 2006 by BAA)

Terry Morgan, managing director BAA Stansted, today responded to Uttlesford District Council's decision to refuse Stansted's planning application to grow the airport on its existing single runway. He said:

"Let's be clear. This planning application is all about growth on the existing single runway at Stansted, it has nothing to do with our plans for a second runway. That will be an entirely separate planning application to be made next year.

"Having said that, we are disappointed Uttlesford District Council has been unable to support our application for growth on the existing single runway at the airport. Effectively, the Council is wanting to cap passenger numbers at the current level, which contradicts government policy and flies in the face of the interests of the record number of leisure and business travellers - tens of thousands of whom are local - who see Stansted as an affordable gateway to destinations and opportunities around the world.

"We intend to immediately appeal against this decision and will take our case to a public inquiry.

"No-one should be in any doubt that we remain very confident of the case we have made and that this will be fully recognised at the Public Inquiry.

"Meanwhile, we say a big thank you to all those who continue to support growth at Stansted and who recognise as we do, the social and economic benefit the airport brings to millions of people."

Notes to Editors

For full information on Stansted Airport expansion plans visit: www.stanstedairport.com/future.
The planning application was titled ‘Generation 1’.
Stansted Airport has a number of planning condition limits, imposed in 2003 by Uttlesford District Council (UDC), which restrict the passengers numbers to 25 million passengers per annum (mppa) and the number of air transport movements (ATMs) to 241,000 per year.
The planning application is seeking permission to remove the cap on passenger numbers (Stansted is the only UK airport capped in this manner) and to increase the limit on ATMs to 264,000 a year.
It is not asking permission for any additional physical developments or facilities that do not currently have planning approval; nor is it seeking any modification to current night flight restrictions.
Stansted is the UK's third busiest airport serving over 23.5 million passengers a year. It is expected the current permitted limit of 25 mppa will be reached in 2008.
Extensive public consultation on the Generation 1 proposals took place between 27 July 2005 and 31 October 2005, including 27 exhibitions in local towns and villages.
The application was accompanied by a comprehensive Environmental Statement that assessed the effects of development on a range of topics including Air Noise, Air Quality, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Economic Effects, Employment and Housing Effects, Energy, Ground Noise, Landscape and Visual Impact, Nature Conservation, Surface Access, Third Party Risk, Waste, Water, Construction and Air Traffic Data.