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(to be sent later)
Plans consultation doc’s and map available on their web-site
Protest to Bromley council (pdf).
Flightpath reaction to Bromley Council's response (pdf)
FlightPath seek clarification on negotiations (pdf) 18/1/2008
Biggin Hill Airport: Serious Concerns Over Council Leader Stephen Carr’s Apparent Wish to Change Airport Lease (pdf) 7/4/2008
Flight Path is extremely concerned that Bromley Council has not released the contents of a letter it received from Biggin Hill Airport requesting a slackening of controls at the airport and which many mean longer operating hours, larger jet aircraft and more noise and traffic congestion.
The letter was seen by councillors and council officials but later withdrawn by the airport. However, despite that, Flight Path believes that residents have a right to know what is being proposed - they are the ones who have to live with the airport. Flight Path calls upon the council to release details of the letter so residents can know the full facts and make up their own minds on the situation.
We are fearful that the council will give in to commercial pressures from the airport to the detriment of the people of Bromley.
The Airport Consultative Committee is the statutory body which meets quarterly to allow consultation between airport management, airport users and others.
There are representatives on the committee from Bromley and Croydon Councils, other adjacent local authorities, parish councils, residents' associations, airport users and local businesses.
The aims of the Consultative Committee are:
Minutes of Consultative Committee meetings may be accessed using the following link:
http://www.bigginhillairport.com/pages/committee.htm
In the recent past a planning application was lodged with Bromley council for a 100-bed hotel to be built on the edge of the airport site. This application was rejected by Bromley and was taken to appeal.
While awaiting the appeal decision a second application for a slightly re-sited 100-bed hotel was lodged with Bromley. This second application was also rejected by Bromley and also went to appeal.
When the first appeal decision was published the hotel plan had been rejected by the inspectors.
Now the appeal decision on the second hotel has been published and the inspector has recommended that permission be refused.
This view was supported by the Communities Minister and the Transport Minister.
Bromley originally refused the second hotel application on design grounds and the inspector endorsed that, labelling the pre-fabricated building 'uninspiring'.
Also playing a part in the decision was a ground that Flight Path put forward, but the council did not, that planning guidance called for an airport hotel to be 'explicitly justified' by demand from aviation activities.
The inspector decided that there was little hope of that sort of business supporting the hotel.
Flight Path and individual residents' associations and environmental groups once again played a significant part in ensuring that this sort of development at the airport was kept in check.
An article which appeared in the Woldingham Parish Council magazine last month.
The Cudham Residents' Accosication newsletter, spring 2008.
Flights involving fare-paying passenger are banned from Biggin Hill under the lease the airport has from the council.
Over the years there have been legal challenges by the airport – all of which have been rejected, even going – at great cost – to the Appeal Court.
Since then Flight Path has drawn the council's attention to what appear to be questionable flights leaving Biggin Hill Airport.
We recently sent this letter to Cllr Neil Reddin, the Resources Portfolio Holder and it is published along with his reply.
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