Carlisle Airport application

A special planning meeting provisionally set for Friday, 15 February to consider the Carlisle Airport planning application cannot go ahead as planned, as Carlisle City Council is still awaiting critical information to allow the authority’s planning committee to make an informed and balanced assessment of the application.

The City Council is continuing to work closely with all parties to ensure that all the necessary information awaited from some key consultees and additional information requested from the applicant is provided to allow the application to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

The Council recognises that this is an application, of major public interest, and to reflect the complexity and scale of the application, a large-scale consultation exercise has been undertaken. In addition to comments received from local residents and businesses, as a result of the widespread publicity given to the submission, more than 50 statutory and non-statutory organisations, agencies and authorities have been specifically asked to comment. Many of the responses have raised issues that remain unresolved and some consultees have requested additional information to allow them the opportunity to give a complete and comprehensive response.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson said:

"We understand the crucial importance, locally and regionally, of the airport planning application and our officers are working hard to get all the necessary information together to allow it to be considered as soon as this practically possible. We are in contact with the applicants, other consultees and agencies on a daily basis to try to bring this matter to as speedy a conclusion as is possible and with proper regard to the issues raised by the proposals.

"The application site is highly sensitive due to its proximity to internationally designated heritage and nature conservation sites, including Hadrian’s Wall. As part of this process, we have sought professional and specialist advice from consultants who have been commissioned to review key technical aspects of the application.

"We appreciate the local interest in the application and we will ensure that the members of the planning committee reviewing the application have all the necessary information required to make a fully informed and balanced decision. We have a duty of care to the applicant, local residents and consultees to make sure that the details are complete and satisfy national and international planning requirements."

The Carlisle Airport planning application includes the construction of replacement runway, a new passenger terminal and a new air traffic control centre.