Stansted Airport Consultative Committee

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Aviation White Paper

The single most controversial issue at Stansted at present is the proposal to build a second Runway.

This flows from the Government's White Paper "The Future of Aviation"  - which sets out a strategic framework for the development of airport capacity in the United Kingdom over the next 30 years. To see the White Paper and associated documents visit the Department's website.  See also the Press Release issued by the Department and the list of supporting reports issued by the Department in February 2004.  The Department also issued a regional press release describing the impact of the White Paper in the South East, including Stansted.

Jonathan Sharrock of the Department fpor Transport was present at the October 2004 meeting of the Consultative Committee and gave a presentation on National Aviation issues - attached, from the minutes of the meeting, is a report of the presentation and the ensuing questions and answers

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Home Owner Support Scheme

The White Paper recommends schemes to help residents affected by noise and blight.  Stansted Airport got off to an early start with a consultation paper on its proposed Home Owner Support Scheme which was issued in February 2004 - copies of this can be seen on the BAA's website (.pdf 370k**).  Having considered the various comments received in response to the consultation the Airport on 21st September finalised and published the scheme - a copy can be seen on the Airport's website (.pdf 1.2mb **). 

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Limit on Movements

In July 2004 the Government gave effect to another proposal of the White Paper by making an Order removing the statutory limit of 185,000 take-offs and landings by passenger aircraft at Stansted each year. Thus limits on the numbers of air transport movements at Stansted are now controlled by the local planning authority, Uttlesford District Council. In 2003, as part of its grant of planning permission for the airport to expand to 25 million passengers per annum (mppa), the Council set a limit of 241,000 annual air transport movements. This covers both cargo and passenger movements and comes into force once the terminal at Stansted airport has been developed to handle 25 mppa. Work has not yet begun on this development. [DfT Press Release]

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Night Flying Restrictions

Following consultations in 2004 and 2005 a new six year regime has been introduced operating from 29 October 2006 to 28 October 2012. Movements' levels will remain consistent throughout that period, at 5,000 for the winter season and 7,000 for the summer season. Over that period, noise quotas will fall from 3,550 to 3,310 for the winter period and from 4,950 to 4,650 for the summer period.

The noise exposure contours for the Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports can be seen on the Deprtment of Trasnport's website

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Airport Master Plan

An interim Airport Master Plan has been published. The final Plan is scheduled for publication alongside the planning application for Generation 2 in late 2007.

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Growing the Airport

Full information on the Airport's development plans can be seen on their Growth and Development Website

Generation 1

This project aims to make best of use of the existing single runway at Stansted. Currently a public inquiry is in progress into the Airport's proposed expansion up to 35 million passengers a year. The inquiry started in May 2007 and is expected to continue until October 2007. A decision is expected during the Spring of 2008.

Generation Two

A planning application is due for submission in late 2007. This project refers to the provision of a second runway at Stansted.

Surface Access

In connection with the growth prjects the airport is also working to develop and improve road and rail links to and from the Airport. There were consultations in February and June 2007
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Corporate Responsibility Report

This report is published annually and describes how BAA Stansted has performed against a number of environmental, economic and social indicators. It is available on the Airport's website

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Review by Competition Commission

At the request of the Office of Fair Trading, the Commission is undertaking a review of BAA's supply of airport services in the UK, to determine whether there are any features that prevent, restrict or distort competition and, if so, what remedial action might be taken. The Commission is due to report in 2008.

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Web Trak system

This new system has come online during 2007. Accessible from home computersit provides actual flight tracks and heights of aircraft over a specific area. Local residents can now obtain information direct without the need to contact BAA. Full details of this system are available on the main BAA Stansted website.

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Wider Issues

There is a whole range of other, more general, issues affecting airports.  An outline of these, and more about the Aviation White Paper, can be seen at the website of the Liaison Group of UK Airport Consutlative Committees including UK national and European issues.

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** This item is in .pdf format and to view it you will need an Acrobat Reader. This can be obtained free of charge by clicking the "Get Acrobat Reader" icon opposite