London City Airport development plans are approved

NEWHAM Council’s Strategic Development Committee granted planning permission for the development of London City Airport as well as a 260-bedroom hotel.

Councillors voted to grant permission for the development at the meeting at the Old Town Hall, Stratford.
Committee chair Cllr Lester Hudson, said: “It was a fine balance for the Committee to make the decision considering the amount of disruption that the construction will cause to residents.”
The development will provide a significant boost in education, training and access to jobs for residents of Newham. As the largest private sector employer in the borough London City Airport’s expansion will provide an excellent opportunity for local residents to take a share of the extra 1,500 new jobs arising from this development.
The committee approved a package which includes strengthened conditions to limit the impact on residents, a financial contribution towards training and employment of Newham residents and additional transport facilities in the south of the borough.
The plans are subject to 131 separate conditions set out by council officers to reduce the potential impact of the development on local residents. These include limiting the permitted actual flights from 120,000 a year currently to 111,000 and a limit of six million passengers a year.

There are also restrictions on noise of aircraft and on the construction piling work.

As well as these controls, the proposed section 106 agreement will see the airport make a commitment of £6.8million towards employment, education and training in the borough, with £5.84million being channelled directly to Newham residents using the council’s job brokerage scheme Workplace.
A package of soundproofing for residents affected during construction was also set. This includes a commitment from the airport to pay 100 per cent of the costs of soundproofing measures for residents most impacted by the noise of the airport, which will be reviewed every five years.
Other benefits for the community will be funding to bolster transport services including a bus turnaround at the new Custom House Crossrail station and opening Hartmann Road to all transport types.
The commitment to continuously monitor air quality and to publish the data on a website will continue, as well as regular meetings of the Airport Consultative Committee for residents and councillors.
The decision will now be referred to the Mayor of London for his consideration and final approval by the Secretary of State.
The hotel application was also granted outline planning permission, subject to conditions, and will also be referred to the Mayor of London.
Each aircraft is issued with a ratio depending on the volume of noise created by the plane.

Picture: Colin Grainger