Southampton Airport – planning permission issued
Following Full Council’s resolution to grant planning permission on 10 April for the runway extension at Southampton International Airport, Council staff have been working with the applicant on the drafting of a detailed S106 Legal Agreement to ensure the detailed package of mitigation and long term management of the airport as set out in the within the committee report, are secured. This includes a cap of 3 million passenger per year, enhanced controls on noise and vehicles and the establishment of a Community Health Fund. This work has now been completed and the Council has now issued the Decision Notice to grant planning permission for the runway extension.
The Planning Casework Unit (PCU) at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) had advised that they have received several requests for the Secretary of State to consider call-in of this planning application. In April, officers within the PCU asked the Council to delay the issuing of the Decision Notice to provide the Secretary of State time to assess the case and decide whether or not to call in the application for a public inquiry. The Council agreed to, and abided by, this informal request and advised PCU Officers mid-May that the Council intend to issue the decision by the end of May.
The Council had not received a request from the Secretary of State to not issue the decision and had not received further correspondence from officers within the PCU by the end of May and has now issued the decision notice to grant planning permission for the runway extension.