Acting Minister clears way for take-off for runway extension

Acting Minister Dudley Butt, MLC, has approved the planning application by the Department of Transport to extend the length of the main runway at Ronaldsway Airport.

The controversial scheme, which entails building a promontory at the seaward end, was approved following an Appeal hearing into an objection by local Derbyhaven residents, Mr & Mrs Aram.

The Arams claimed that the proposal was financially unsound and that alternatives hadn?t been properly explored. They also had concerns about disturbance from night time working, unrealistic assumptions of the growth in airport traffic and other misleading public statements. The environmental impacts on the marine environment and the effects on the sediment regime in Derbyhaven Bay were other areas which hadn?t been adequately addressed by the applicant.

Overall the applicant had failed to prove an over-riding national need to warrant approval of the proposal.

The Department argued that principally on safety grounds the project had to go ahead but it was also required to protect the future viability of the airport.

Alternatives had been considered but discounted and this was the best proposal.

Night time working was unavoidable and some ecological impact was inevitable but they would be minimized or mitigated as much as practically possible.

The planning authority was satisfied that the proposal was of national importance and the impacts would not be so great to warrant refusal.

The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment were considered, on balance, to be supportive of the scheme, albeit they said they would prefer a limestone rather than granite face to the new cliff face.

Derbyhaven Residents Society expressed some concerns and wanted to ensure liaison with local people if the project went ahead.

IOM Friends of the Earth opposed the project on environmental and sustainability grounds, whereas Manx National Heritage didn?t object.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry had concerns about shortcomings in the Environmental Impact Assessment and Manx Mariculture Ltd was concerned for their business.

The Independent Inspector, Graham Self, in his assessment and conclusions, saw no objection to achieving some commercial benefit from the proposal along with the safety benefits.

He further concluded that the alternatives have been considered and discounted for good reason.

In respect of impacts on the marine ecology the Inspector did have some reservations about the reliance placed by the applicant and the planning authority on the Environmental Management Plan. He also concluded that the development would have a significant impact on the marine ecology that weighed against permitting the scheme.

On noise, the Inspector concluded there was no justification for preventing the development.

He also commented on a number of other issues including differing runway dimensions, the exaggerated claim that hills as far away as Snaefell would need to be removed, and Onchan MHK, Peter Karran?s evidence ? much of which he said was irrelevant and did not help the case of the appellant.

In summary, he stated he found a strong case for permitting the development, even though he had reservations about the EMP. He also had difficulty with the proposed enforceability of some conditions so he prepared his own. Although he saw merit in independent arbitrator to oversee disputes, taking into account the concern that government was both developer and planning regulator, he considered the usual procedure, of the planning authority being the controller, satisfactory.

In conclusion, he stated that in his ?judgement the applicant has shown that there is no better or more acceptable alternative to the proposal.? He went on to add, having taken all matters into account, that there is ?a national need sufficient to override the need to protect the environment.?

His recommendation was, therefore, to dismiss the appeal and grant planning approval subject to conditions.