BelfastCity

Belfast City Airport Watch have contacted the Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots, all East and South Belfast and North Down MLAs, and each Councillor who sits on Planning and Regional Development Committees.

We have sent a briefing document to each of these public representatives, explaining the very real problems which a runway extension at Belfast City Airport will cause. They can’t say they weren’t warned.

The Airport has been in pre-application discussions with Planning Service since March. These discussions have been taking place to iron out any potential problems before an application is submitted. The application can then be fast-tracked through the planning system.

The Airport is due to submit its planning application for the runway extension very soon. Belfast City Airport Watch are calling on the Environment Minister to immediately insist on a FULL PUBLIC INQUIRY.

If there is to be any public confidence in the planning process and its ability to strike a balance between commercial interests and the health, safety and quality of life of thousands of local people, a full public inquiry is vital.

As former Minister for the Environment, Sammy Wilson approved the new planning agreement, increasing the number of flights to 48,000, this increase brings this city airport very close to the 50,000 flights a year figure which health experts use to classify as a major airport. But most major airports are not built beside tens of thousands of homes.  Therefore a full Health Impact Assessment must be needed for any application to extend the runway.

• The impact on people’s health: noise pollution and air quality – see:
  • Aircraft noise raises blood pressure even whilst people are sleeping
  • Near-Airport Pollution

• The effects of noise on schools and children's learning – see:
  
  
  • Children's reading and memory affected by exposure to aircraft noise
  • Aircraft noise 'affects learning'

• The impact of pollutants being dispersed into Belfast Lough (particularly de-icing chemicals)
  
  • Pollution Prevention: Private, commercial and military airfields

• The impact of Belfast City Airport expansion on a nationally recognised Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI): Belfast Lough, Victoria Park and the RSPB Harbour Lagoon Bird Reserve
  • Environment and Heritage Service
  • Victoria Park
  • RSPB

• The impact of the increase in aircraft size and number of flights on the City Airport’s Public Safety Zone.
  • Control of Development in Airport Public Safety Zones

• The impact of increased numbers of flights, size of aircraft and their effect on property values below the flightpaths.

• Some airlines appear to suggest the residents should be happy that their homes are devalued by an airport:
  
  "On the issue of noise, Flybe. would like to state that there must be a reassessment of the cost of aviation on the noise effected area. For, it must be stated that to a large extent current house prices are already inclusive of the effect of the airport and thus the monthly payments from the residents are beneficial because of the relatively lower cost of their housing. Thus, Flybe. would like to argue that the cost of noise is already "priced in" to the affected areas of noise."
  Aviation external costs - reports and evidence
  
  
  • Zurich airport report

• The impact of the City Airport expansion on the numbers of late flights: in 2007 there were 743 flights after the 9.30pm curfew.
  
  
  • The trends over the last few years suggest that more flights will result in more late flights. Under the terms of the Planning Agreement late flights are permitted in 'exceptional circumstances'.
  • In the absence of an obligation in the new planning agreement to fine late flights (with fines going into a community fund), then diverting every late flight to Belfast International is the only reasonable solution. To see monthly reports on late flights and percentage of flights over the city versus the Lough, click here

• Belfast City Airport's reported intention to compete head-to-head with Belfast International Airport is in no-ones interest. We believe experts in the aviation industry who tell us that the resulting creation of 2 sub-scale international airports (as opposed to one properly served international airport and one complementary business/regional airport) would have a negative impact on the Northern Ireland economy.
  
• Coventry airport news
  
  
• Managing Airports: An International Perspective

• The impact on the Northern Ireland economy of the tourism budget deficit created by the ‘cheap flights’ airlines: 5 times more money is taken out of the Norther Ireland economy then is brought in - ref: NITB Report. This is a trend throughout the UK.

Belfast City Airport Watch have campaign members who have the expertise to scrutinise the Environmental Impact Assessment. All of our research points to the outcome of likely major negative impacts on both people and wildlife, as well as the negative economic impact of splitting a limited NI passenger base between 3 airports, if this runway extension were ever to be passed.

Belfast City Airport Watch will therefore campaign for the new owners to abandon the proposal to extend the runway. If they wish to go ahead with this unwarranted and damaging plan, then we will campaign for a FULL PUBLIC INQUIRY to be held to ensure that people, their environment and the Northern Ireland economy are protected.