Farnborough Airport Appeals for Traffic Limit Changes

The London-area Farnborough Airport is seeking approval to increase weekend movements and also for somewhat heavier aircraft than current limits permit. On Monday, the airport filed an appeal to the UK government’s Planning Inspectorate based on so-called “non-determination” of an earlier application to the local Rushmoor Borough Council to adjust operating rules.

According to a Farnborough Airport spokesperson, the airfield wants to increase the annual limit for weekend flights from 8,900 to 13,500. The aim is to increase weekend traffic at the same rate as weekday flights to meet anticipated demand over the next 10 years.

In November, the privately owned airport, which only handles business aircraft and has no scheduled flights, filed a planning application with Rushmoor to increase the total number of permitted annual movements from 50,000 to 70,000. This application, which followed an earlier filing in 2023, remains unresolved, prompting the airport to seek resolution with the central government.

“We currently handle in total approx. 32,000 flights per year, of which our current non-weekday flights of 8,700 are 27%, which is broadly proportional to the number of non-weekday days in the year,” the spokesperson explained to AIN. “If we are able to increase our non-weekday flights to 13,500, this will mean that by the time we reach 50,000 [total annual movements], the 27% proportion will be maintained. If we cannot increase the 8,900 limit on non-weekday flights, the proportion drops to around 18%. It should be noted, however, that around 40% of our non-weekday flights have a leg on a weekday, which means with the existing non-weekday limits unchanged, the weekday growth rate over time would also be suppressed.”

Technical and Legal Delays

According to Farnborough Airport CEO Simon Geere, his team has engaged constructively with local government officials and stakeholders in its neighborhood, seeking support for the changes it says are needed to secure the future of the facility. “However, it has become increasingly evident that a small number of technical and legal aspects of our proposals make the path to a successful outcome at the local level very difficult to navigate,” he commented.

Pending the outcome of its appeal, the airport has asked Rushmoor Borough Council to extend the statutory time limits for resolving its original 2023 application to increase movements. “As with all airport expansion applications, we recognize the complexities for Rushmoor in its capacity as the relevant local planning authority, and this decision to file an appeal for non-determination by no means reflects on the professionalism and commitment of the council’s officers and elected officials who have consistently supported us throughout the process,” Geere explained. “We have every confidence that the significant economic contribution that Farnborough Airport makes is fully understood and that there is collective recognition that the future prosperity of the local area is dependent upon a successful and growing business like ours.”