Southampton Airport expansion: City council objects to plans

Plans to expand Southampton Airport would "exacerbate the climate crisis", the city council has said.

Airport bosses want to extend the runway and increase the number of flights, allowing it to more than double passenger numbers.

Southampton City Council objected to the plans at a meeting at the civic centre on Tuesday night.

The airport said a longer runway was "crucial" and would allow it to grow "sustainably and responsibly".

Civic chiefs in neighbouring Eastleigh - where the airport is located - will make the final decision on the proposals.

However, Southampton City Council has raised concerns as flight paths run over the city, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Winchester City Council has also objected, citing concerns about noise and carbon emissions.

The airport plans to extend the runway by 164m (538ft) to allow for larger 190-seater aircraft, allowing it to offer a wider route network.

It maintains its proposals would create 400 new jobs and boost its economic benefit to the region from £160m a year up to £400m by 2037.

Environmental campaigners have raised concerns over noise and air pollution, as well as plans to fell trees in the Marlhill Copse area of ancient woodland.

Katherine Barbour, of Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO) action group, told the meeting the airport was "not in the right location to become larger and busier".

Leader of Labour-run Southampton City Council, Christopher Hammond, said the plans would lead to "gridlocked infrastructure" and see carbon emissions rise, on average, by 350,000 tonnes a year.

"Sadly, the expansion plans using existing technologies would exacerbate the climate crisis, not end it," he added.

The airport's managing director, Neil Garwood, said the expansion was "crucial".

"The future of Southampton Airport requires a longer runway - without that, there is a serious issue with the ability to provide the investment and the growth our region requires."