Newham Council’s Strategic Development Committee has granted planning permission for the development of London City Airport and a 260-bedroom hotel.
The decision clears the way for a £200m (US$305m) investment that will enable the airport to operate up to 111,000 annual flights, an increase on the 70,000 currently flying to and from the airport, but a decrease on the proposed limit of 120,000. It is thought that the project will double the airport’s economic impact to £1.5bn (US$2.3bn) per annum, as well as creating 1,500 new jobs and a further 500 during construction.
Declan Collier, CEO of London City Airport, said, “The development of the airport will culminate in 2023 when, having constructed seven new aircraft stands, a parallel taxiway and terminal extensions to the west and to the east, the airport will be welcoming some six million passengers every year.”
The plans are subject to 131 separate conditions set out by council officers to reduce the potential impact of the development on local residents. The terms include a limit of no more than 45 noise factored flights an hour, the construction of a noise barrier on the south side of the site during the construction period, and the noisiest piling work only taking place on weekends.
Councillor Lester Hudson, chairman of the Strategic Development Committee, 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. Additional measures have been secured through this planning application which will mitigate the disruption during construction and aircraft noise after completion. We have also been assured that through the reduction in actual flight numbers to 111,000 a year we are also ensuring a reduction in the potential amount of air and noise pollution residents would have been faced with.
“This 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.”