Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The Labour government has given the green light to allow London City Airport to expand its passenger numbers by more than a third, in one of its first major decisions intended to boost growth since taking office last month.
The government confirmed on Monday that it would allow London’s smallest airport — popular among business travellers because of its proximity to the City of London and Canary Wharf financial districts — to increase its annual passenger capacity from 6.5mn to 9mn by 2031.
It will be able to fly three extra flights in the first half hour of operations during the week to help accommodate the expansion.
Ministers, however, refused to give the go-ahead for additional flights on Saturday afternoons from 12.30pm until 6.30pm, and stipulated that quieter aircraft should be used for any additional morning flights.
The approval comes after Newham Council, the airport’s local authority, last year blocked the expansion request over concerns around the impact of noise pollution and other environmental impacts from the extra flights.
The airport appealed against the decision, which was approved on Monday by Angela Rayner, secretary of state for housing, and Louise Haigh, transport secretary.
According to the decision, the additional morning flights would cause “no harm in terms of noise effects, and any additional effects at that time would be mitigated in terms of the use of quieter aircraft for the three additional flights, as well as the enhanced sound insulation scheme”.
It added there would be “no conflict in terms of national policy” on air quality.
The Financial Times reported in July that Labour had signalled it was “open-minded” towards airport expansion, as long as they could meet various tests, including meeting noise and air pollution levels.
Environmental campaigners have questioned how expansion of the aviation sector is compatible with the UK’s goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The government’s climate change advisory body has recommended that no airport expansions should proceed until a UK-wide framework is in place to assess and control the sector’s emissions.
Paul Morozzo, climate campaigner for Greenpeace UK, called the decision a “surprisingly clumsy mis-step” from the new government.
“Not only does it undermine the UK’s climate leadership, but it will mostly benefit an elite of wealthy frequent flyers while dumping the environmental costs on some of London’s poorest neighbourhoods,” he said.
London City Airport on Monday welcomed the increase to the passenger cap, but said it was disappointed the government had not approved the extended Saturday operating hours, warning it would cause airlines to introduce cleaner and quieter aircraft more slowly at the site.
“Local residents would have had the added benefit of these aircraft operating at the airport throughout the week, not just in the extended operating hours,” said Alison FitzGerald, chief executive of the airport.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN East, which represents communities impacted by the airport, described the decision to refuse permission for planes to operate on Saturday afternoons as a “big win for residents”, saying it “maintains their weekend break from the noise between 12.30pm on Saturday and 12.30pm on Sunday”.
