Planners back Alderney runway proposals

The States of Alderney is due to vote on plans to modernise the island's airport on 30 May

Planning officers in Alderney have backed proposals to extend the island's runway and modernise the airport, subject to some conditions.

Their report is the latest step in the planning process and is likely to be welcome news for those supporting improvements to the airport, but is not a decision itself.

The report said the plans would bring a "substantial benefit" to Alderney and are in the "long term public interest".

A States of Alderney committee is due to vote on the plans in an open meeting on 30 May.

The plans include improving and extending the runaway so ATR planes can use the airport

The proposals also include a new terminal building and fire station

As well as improvements to the runway, the plans also include building a new passenger terminal and fire station.

Planners have recommended the proposals are approved, but have put in conditions to help minimise the environmental and archaeological impacts.

They said the extension would be likely to mean the loss of a nearby prehistoric barrow as well as "the potential to cause harm to bats and other species" near the proposed approach lights.

'Crumbling away'

Alex Snowdon, Alderney Representative in the States of Guernsey, called the report an "important step forward".

He said: "The runway is an important bailiwick asset, I don’t think we should be forgetting that.

"It’s absolutely vital that we move forward, it’s simply crumbling away before our eyes at the moment."

Guernsey Ports, which operates the airport, is also seeking permission to reconstruct the runway and add new approach lighting and drainage, to make it suitable for Aurigny's fleet of ATR planes.

Currently the airline uses smaller Dornier planes.

Mr Snowdon said the new runway would reduce overall running costs significantly if it was built, by reducing runway maintenance costs as well as the cost of the Dorniers.

He said Aurigny had lost £3m a year between 2016 and 2019 operating the route, which has since reduced to £2m a year, but that this could be reduced to £1m a year once the new runway was up and running.

Concerns have previously been raised about the cost of the proposals.

The open meeting of the Building & Development Control Committee is due to take place at 14:30 BST on 30 May at the Island Hall.