St Albans City and District Council’s Planning Policy Advisory Panel has noted that London Luton Airport Limited intends to open a consultation on 6 February about its plans to increase capacity at the airport.
At a meeting on Wednesday 25 January, the Panel heard that the airport is seeking to increase capacity to 18 million passengers per year from a current estimated maximum capacity of 11.5m per year. The airport plans to achieve this growth within its current boundary and using the existing runway by optimising the layout of the site.
It was agreed that the Council will seek to work with Town and Parish Councils throughout the District to make sure that they are aware of the London Luton Airport consultation and proposals. Under the duty to co-operate, the Council will also contact neighbouring Parishes in other Districts to ensure that they are also aware of proposals and to see if they want to join in any joint working on the issue.
Councillor Teresa Heritage, Chair of the Committee and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Conservation, said: “The Council will seek to work with Town and Parish Councils throughout the District and in neighbouring Districts to make sure that they are aware of the London Luton Airport consultation and to ensure that all those affected or interested in the proposals understand what is being proposed and the process.
“It is important that everyone with an interest in the airport contributes to the consultation about its future and, where possible, attends the consultation meetings being organised by London Luton Airport to make their views known.
“Once we have seen the details of the consultation documentation and considered them, the Planning Policy Advisory Panel will agree a suitable response.”
London Luton Airport’s consultation document will be published on 6 February on its website at http://www.futureluton.co.uk/
The website also contains a presentation on the consultation process and details of a number of public consultation events, organised by London Luton Airport. These include an exhibition at Harpenden, Southdown room, Harpenden Public Halls, Southdown Road, AL5 1PD on 25 February between 10am and 5pm.
The consultation period will run for six weeks until 19 March.
Member contact:
Cllr Teresa Heritage, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Conservation for St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01582 761014
Contact for the press:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Media and Internal Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Update 7 February 2012:
Please note that London Luton Airport has since announced a short delay to the start of the consultation. It will now begin on 13 February 2012. They have also added a further consultation exhibition at Wheathampstead Memorial Hall on 1 March from 2pm to 8pm.