Local Lib Dem Council Group Leader David Whitcroft comments on more weekend flights at Farnborough Airfield (Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats

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Local Lib Dem Council Group Leader David Whitcroft comments on more weekend flights at Farnborough Airfield

April 2, 2008 12:00 AM

Business Aviation plays an important part in the local economy - but are all flights genuinely for business purposes?

What conclusions can we draw from ploughing through both the Inspector's Report into the extension of weekend flying at Farnborough Airfield and the attached views of the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government and for Transport?

Firstly, it is very difficult to see just why the Secretaries of State have taken over six months in considering the Inspector's report since they scarcely disagree with a word of the Inspectors' report. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the prevarication, delay and lack of urgency which is such a feature of the Government as a whole has applied in spades to the issue of extended flying hours at Farnborough.

Secondly, the Secretaries of State, like the Inspector, accept that 'while it is possible that there are some "pure leisure trips" from Farnborough Airport, their number - if any - is not known, so there can be little basis for the suggestion that their removal would release any significant number of weekend slots'.

TAG have always been reluctant to discuss the leisure uses of the airfield, claiming it is impossible to distinguish between business and pleasure flights. They must know, however, how many flights involve, for example, a Friday departure and a return during the next two days.

Local residents - including those I represent in Mytchett - might find it slightly more acceptable to have their weekends blighted (although the Inspector and Secretaries of State casually reject in a few lines the concept of visual intrusion) in the interests of genuine business. They would, however, take quite a different view if flights are being used to make visits to see Real Madrid or Barcelona play football!

So what is the final conclusion to be drawn from the decision made by the Secretaries of State?

Very simply, they have disregarded the negative impacts of jet aircraft overflying hundreds local residents in favour of a very few people who are able to use jet aircraft for more weekend flights which may or may not have a genuine economic purpose. In doing so, they have further undermined the integrity of the Planning regime.