Memorandum submitted by Leicestershire
County Council
BACKGROUND
1. Leicestershire has within its boundaries
East Midlands Airport. The airport is one of the primary freight
airports in the country and operates 24 hours a day without agreed
control terms of its impact on the amenities of residents of Leicestershire.
In particular, the freight traffic activities which primary operate
at night has the biggest impact not only in the immediate vicinity
but wider afield.
2. Last year, the airport consulted on airspace
changes that effectively doubled the area of controlled airspace
over the county. The original consultation was poorly carried
out and did not include a number of local authorities, including
the County Council. Despite the CAA giving its approval to this
change in July 2004, the airport decided, in response to the representations
made, to undertake consultations again and asked the CAA not to
proceed with the changes at that time.
3. EMA's Phase 2 consultation on changes
to controlled airspace ran from 18 October 2004 to 10 January
2005. The County Council, amongst others, made representations
on the potential impact on Leicestershire citizens of the proposed
changes. The new flight paths were approved by the CAA on 28 February
2005 and came into effect on 12 May 2005.
4. The County Council, as a local authority
within whose boundary the EMA is located and its experience with
the CAA, leads it to make representations on the work of the CAA
which may helpful to the Transport Committee.
OBSERVATIONS ON
THE WORK
OF THE
CAA
5. The County Council welcomes the opportunity
to comment on the work of the CAA.
6. Given the importance of local authorities
within whose areas airports sit in terms of the responsibilities
given to them under the Civil Aviation Act 1982 of engaging with
the airport authorities; their general governance role; and the
impacts airports have on their citizens, it would seem reasonable
that the CAA and local authorities should have a close working
relationship. On this basis the following suggestions are made:
— That elected local authorities that
are affected by airports and their activities should be statutory
consultees in relation to air space changes or other material
controls related to airport development.
— That their remit should also include
a stronger environmental impact remit, in particular concentrating
on noise, air quality and climate change issues which should part
of their decision making process when imposing controls on airport
activity.
14 November 2005
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