Southampton Airport activists 'taken aback' by runway sign-off

The campaign group Airport Expansion Opposition said the planning process had been "extraordinary"

Airport protestors have said a council formally approved an airport runway extension despite an earlier agreement with the government to delay.

On Thursday Eastleigh Borough Council issued formal planning permission for Southampton Airport to lengthen its runway by 164m (538ft).

Campaign group Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO) said it was "taken aback" by the announcement.

The council said it gave the government time to intervene but had no response.

The airport said its runway was "one of the shortest in the UK"

In a statement, the authority said it agreed in April to give the government time to review the plan.

It said it subsequently warned ministers on 14 May that planning permission would be issued at the end of the month, but received no reply.

However a government email to AXO, dated 19 May, said the delay agreement was still in force.

The email, seen by the BBC, said: "The department has an agreement with Eastleigh Borough Council that it will not... issue the decision notice... until the Secretary of State has completed his consideration of the application."

Airport operations director Steve Szalay previously said the runway would "drive economic recovery"

John Lauwerys, from AXO, said the planning process had been "pretty extraordinary".

He said: "We always thought the matter should be called in by the Secretary of State because it affects more than just Eastleigh.

"Forty-six thousand people in Winchester, Southampton and elsewhere will suffer additional noise."

He said rising emissions from flights would undermine the government's climate change targets.

Analysis: Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent

Opponents claim planning permission was granted before the government had chosen whether or not to call in the local decision, and treat it as a nationally-important issue.

The council disputes that, saying it kept Whitehall fully informed.

Opponents now have a six-week window in which to appeal against the planning permission.

If there's no appeal, the airport can get on with extending the runway.

But the airport is expecting one, which would try to challenge the legal basis of the decision.

That could take six months or more to settle.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed it could no longer call in the council decision.

It declined to comment on its agreement with Eastleigh Borough Council.

The airport previously said the extension would facilitate larger planes, generating an extra £240m for the local economy by the year 2037.

It said it had agreed a cap of three million passengers per year and enhanced noise controls.