Touch Down for Shoreham Airport
23 March 2004
The cards are back on the table for Shoreham Airport’s owners, Brighton & Hove City Council and Worthing Borough Council.
A joint authority member task group has recommended to the Airport’s owners to market test the Airport as a going concern and seek the private sector’s views on progressing the regeneration of the the UK’s oldest commercial airport.
The report is being considered by Brighton & Hove City Council on 31 March 2004 and Worthing Borough Council on 5 April 2004.
Consideration was given to keep to the original principles of the project, the results of a public and stakeholder consultation and the need not to further hinder the Airport by delaying any decision.
Should the market indicate that there is sufficient demand and capacity for commercial air servies to support the regeneration then the Airport’s owners may seek a private sector partner to share or front the financial risk.
Brighton & Hove City Councillor Don Turner, Chair of the joint member task group said: "Responses to the regeneration options were sought from the public and key stakeholders and the task group’s decision has been compiled on the back of that."
"As joint owner, our first consideration must go to safeguarding the airport’s financial future."
Deputy leader of Worthing Borough John Lovell said: "This is not a case of going back to the drawing board but a positive step forward embracing all of the study’s findings. The year’s work will go forward into constructive planning for a certain future for Shoreham Airport."
"Due consideration must also be given to the regeneration future of the whole south coast."
The joint authority member task group consists of representatives from Brighton & Hove City Council and Worthing Borough Council with Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council having observer Members on the group.
These conclusions came at the end of an intensive study to consider the regeneration vision and future for Shoreham Airport, which began in March 2003, and included public and stakeholder consultation.
Stakeholder views covered a whole spectrum, ranging from full endorsement to progressing the regeneration vision to a call for further investigation. The majority highlighted the need to balance the wider economic benefits against environmental protection, sustainability and transport issues.
Some 440 responses were received as a result of the public consultation. Concerns raised included the effects of aircraft - including, noise, emissions and safety. A quarter of respondents highlighted local transport as a key issue to be addressed and a small number drew attention to the environmental impact on the local area, such as peoples’ enjoyment of the South Downs.
The consultation findings will be available to the public from Monday 5 April 2004 on the Shoreham Airport website www.shorehamairport.co.uk and copies of the report can be collected at the following locations:
- Hove Town Hall
- Brighton Town Hall
- Worthing Town Hall
- Adur Civic Centre
- Lancing Parish Hall
- West Sussex County Council (Chichester)
- Shoreham Airport
In considering the future, the joint authority member task group recognise Adur District Council as the local planning authority and West Sussex County Council as the strategic planning authority. Any future planning will need to fit with Adur’s vision of the area.
End
Notes for Editors
Shoreham Airport is the oldest commercial airport in the UK boasting its first flights in 1910. The airport later developed into the municipal airport for the towns of Brighton, Hove and Worthing and today is still owned by Brighton & Hove and Worthing councils.
The airport has a flourishing visitor centre and hosts a highly attended annual airshow. It provides employment for 520 people and approximately 260 students study at the Northbrook College Shoreham Airport Campus.
Regeneration Vision
The core principles of the regeneration vision were to:
- Retain the operation of an airport at Shoreham whilst protecting and enhancing the existing "strategic gap" with environmental protection
- Maximise the opportunities for the site to be a multi-modal transport hub (including park and ride and a parkway)
- Expand and safeguard existing employment opportunities at the Airport
- Develop an agreed development brief and design standards to support local planning policy for the regeneration vision
- Ensure there is thorough community and stakeholder consultation
The regeneration vision study was completed in three stages:
Stage one - a feasibility study to assess demand for and ability to deliver commercial air services, with improved infrastructure
Stage two - a detailed analysis to support a regeneration vision for the airport including: planning policy, development control, environmental considerations, ecology, transport and airport infrastructure needs
Stage three - a comprehensive community and stakeholder nine-week consultation (including one-month extension)
Following the results of the detailed study, the joint authority member task group considered five options for the Airport’s future:
- To progress Option A - not build any new runways but increasing the number of aircraft traffic movements from 75,000 to up to 100,000 per annum
- To progress Option B - to build a new runway with the least impact on existing housing areas and increase the number of aircraft traffic movements from 75,000 to up to 100,000 per annum
- Do nothing
- Close the airport as an operational aviation facility but retain the management of the land for business, leisure and retail uses
- Market test the airport as a going concern, seek a private sector partner to further progress the regeneration of the airport.
The public and Stakeholder consultation included:
- Presentations to Brighton & Hove City Council, Worthing Borough Council, Adur District Council, West Sussex County Council and Lancing Parish Council.
- Extensive press coverage in local daily and weekly newspapers, local and regional radio and television stations
- Leaflet distribution to 4,000 homes in the immediate vicinity of the airport
- Dedicated web pages on the Shoreham Airport website with facilities for electronic responses
- Stakeholder consultation with local and regional organisations
- Meetings with staff, businesses and tenants at Shoreham Airport
- Public exhibitions at:
- Shoreham Airport (28-30 Nov 2003)
- Adur Civic Centre (1-12 Dec 2003 and 5-16 Jan)
- Lancing Parish Hall (15 Dec 2003 - 5 Jan 2004)
- Two public meetings at:
- Adur Civic Centre (9 Dec 2003)
- Lancing Parish Hall (16 Dec 2003)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) information sheet
During the consultation:
- Over 200 people attended the public exhibition at Shoreham Airport
- Many hundreds viewed the proposals at the other venues.
- Over 6,500 hits on Shoreham Airport’s website pages.
- Over 350 people attended public meetings.
- 12 regional and local stakeholders provided their views.
- 440 individual responses were received by the owning authorities (email, fax and letter).
The twelve key stakeholder organisations that contributed directly to the consultation were:
- Adur & District Chamber of Commerce
- Adur District Council
- Adur Economic Partnership
- Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership
- Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth
- English Heritage
- Environment Agency
- Lancing College
- Shoreham Airport Consultative Committee
- Sussex Downs Conservation Board
- Sussex Enterprise
- West Sussex County Council
- West Sussex County Council highway department
Issued by:
Belinda Nash,
Tel: 01273 291036
Fax: 01273 291048
Email: belinda.nash@brighton-hove.gov.uk
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