The Sub-Regional Patchwork

4.4.1 Both airports, like many others in Britain, are located on or very close to the administrative boundaries of more than one local authority. The result of this is more than one planning policy approach for each airport, varying degrees of tolerance and intolerance and different levels of experience and aware­ ness of the airports importance to the local areas concerned. The planning authorities which are relevant to Gatwick and Manchester are shown on FIGURE 26 and FIGURE 27 respectively.

4.4.2 Strategic and local planning policies have to be set within the guidelines set by government regional guidance, but within these there is considerable scope for local authorities vary their policy response. In Chapter Two, local planning policy has been shown to be potentially important in three key areas:-

1 Approach to the growth and expansion of the airport itself,

2 Approach to the growth and expansion of direct and indirect activities connected with the operation of the airport, and their location on or off the airport site,

3 Approach to the use of the airports as a tool for the encouragement of inward investment.

ReigateAnd _{FIGURE 26} Banstead

Local Autliorities Coverina the Gatwick Area

Tandridge Mole Valley Crawley <4 Mid Sussex Horsham

West Sussex County Council

FIGURE 27

Local Authorities Covering the Manchester Airport Area

Manchester fa tiirm Trafford Stockport Maccleslield Vale Royal Congleton

4.5 Policies Relating to Airport Expansion

4.5.1 Authorities around the two airports differ in their general approach to airport expansion. Around Gatwick there is a desire to see future growth restricted, while around Manchester there is a willingness to encourage further growth. The issue of a second runway is applicable to both airports, and it can be clearly demonstrated that Manchester authorities are far more willing to accept this.

Gatwick

4.5.2 As shown in FIGURE 26 Gatwick Airport is located entirely within Crawley Borough in West Sussex. However, both West Sussex and Surrey County Councils have policies relating to the growth of the airport.

4.5.3 The West Sussex Replacement Structure Plan contains Policy T10 which enables Gatwick to operate efficiently as a single runway two terminal airport. It allows for the development necessary to secure this to be permitted, subject to other policies. The plan seeks to accommodate the development pressures generated by Gatwick as far as this is consistent with the Plan's other objectives of protecting the environment and restrain­ ing growth in the wider local area.

4.5.4 West Sussexconsiderthat many of thefacilities required to allowthe full use of the existing runway are already in place, but the Plan allows for other facilities to enable the runway capacity to be used effectively. They must, however, be in accord with with an agreed land use plan for the airport. The Gatwick Masterplan (1990) has not been agreed by the local authorities.

4.5.5 The policies contained in the Structure Plan are based upon a County Council assumption that the full use of the existing runway will accommo­ date 25 million passengers per annum. There is no contingency currently in place for the possibility for a higher achievable throughput of 30,35 or 42 million passengers per annum as has been suggested by BAA Pic (1992).

4.5.6 The Surrey Replacement Structure Plan Deposit Version (1993) Policy MT18 states that airport development proposals should comply with Gov­ ernment regional guidance. Surrey acknowledge that BAA Pic have sug­ gested a new capacity of 42 million.

4.5.7 West Sussex and Surrey are united in their opposition to the provision of an additional runway at the airport. West Sussex stand by the legal agreement they signed with the then BAA in 1979 preventing a second runway at or adjacent to the airport for forty years. Nevertheless, both authorities are fully involved, via SERPLAN, with the RUCATSE exercise. It is quite possible that RUCATSE may recommend that additional capacity in the South East is not required until as late as 2020. By then the BAA West Sussex legal agreement will have lapsed.

Manchester

4.5.8 As shown in FIGURE 27 Manchester Airport is located mainly in the City of Manchester although part of the site is within Macclesfield Borough in Cheshire, and the boundaries of Stockport and Trafford Metropolitan Boroughs are very close by. There is general support for the expansion of Manchester Airport amongst most local authorities in its vicinity. The local authorities have formed a joint member-level group to discuss issues associated with the committed growth of the airport with one runway.

4.5.9 Manchester City Council have the most to gain if the airport is to succeed. The City are shareholders in the airport company and have a close working relationship with the airport planners. The City Council supports the contin­ ued expansion of the airport, including the provision of a second runway, which it considers would raise the profile of the area and the city substan­ tially. It views the continued growth of an important international airport to be an intrinsic component of the cities economic growth and specifically its bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games.

4.5.10 Cheshire County Council are also highly supportive of the continued development of the airport. The Cheshire Replacement Structure Plan (1992) Policy T22 states that the County Council will support the expansion of air traffic usage at the airport within the capacity of the existing runway. In November 1991 the County’s Environmental Services Committee issued a ‘Statement of Principles’ supporting the further expansion when there is a proven need, recognising the importance of planning ahead for necessary future growth in air traffic. When Manchester Airport bring forward an application for a second runway during the summer of 1993, Cheshire County Council will take a neutral stance.

4.5.11 Of the authorities around Manchester Airport Macclesfield Borough are the least enthusiastic about airport expansion, and are implacably opposed to a second runway. They are, nevertheless, involved in the inter-authority working group aimed at harnessing the potential of the airport. Trafford Metropolitan Borough are generally in support of the airport expansion, but Stockport Metropolitan Borough, who suffer the greatest noise effects, are opposed to a second runway.