7000 extra flights for Farnborough Airport?

There are new proposals to move seven thousand extra flights to Farnborough Airport, see the getHampshire Article. As this would affect the Mytchett, Frimley Green and Deepcut area, our Chairman sent the following email to Brandon O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer for TAG with copies to our local MP, the Rt Hon Michael Gove Secretary of State for Education and Brian Donohoe MP, Chairman of the Aviation Group.

Dear Brandon,

At the last meeting of the Farnborough Airport Consultative Committee held on the 4th October it was stated that:

In a recently published report by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Aviation, suggestions were made to transfer 7,000 existing annual business aviation movements to Farnborough from the Royal Air Force (RAF) Northolt base.

It has also been reported that when asked, MP Brian Donohoe, Chairman of the Aviation Group, added: “Given what it does at present, Farnborough is the best suited of all airports in the South East to take on this business.”

Mr Donohoe is also reported as saying he “hopes the government will consider the recommendation put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Aviation Group.”

When asked at the FACC meeting for your views regarding these suggestions your response was: “It is for the government to determine future aviation policy.”

If these suggestions are sanctioned by the government then on behalf of the Mytchett, Frimley Green & Deepcut Society, I ask that you, Mr Donohoe or Mr Gove provide an answer to the following question: Would these extra movements fall within the current planning control levels at Farnborough Airport of 50,000 ATMs per annum?

If they were to be considered under the definition of Other Aviation Activity as defined in the original 2000 Deed it would mean that local communities would be subject to an increase in air traffic movements well above the current allowed levels. When the opposition to the application for planning permission to allow an increase to 50,000 ATMs per annum is considered, it seems fairly obvious that the local communities are going to take a dim view of the suggested changes, particularly if they are not adequately consulted.

I look forward to your response

Kevin Daley    (Chair, MFGD Society)

For more see the correspondence on the proposed 7000 extra flights.