Southampton Airport: Legal challenge over runway extension

The airport said the runway would eventually generate an extra £240m for the local economy

Opponents of a scheme to extend an airport runway are mounting a legal challenge.

Eastleigh Borough Council issued formal planning permission on 3 June for Southampton Airport to lengthen its runway by 164m (538ft).

But campaigners Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO) have called the decision "wrong both in the way it was taken and the arguments to justify it".

The council said it was confident its decision and procedures were sound.

It signed off approval for the runway despite a previous agreement with the government to delay.

It said it subsequently issued planning permission after giving fair notice to ministers and receiving no reply by the end of May.

However, on 19 May the government believed the moratorium was still in force, according to an email seen by the BBC.

The campaign group Airport Expansion Opposition is challenging the scheme

AXO said the runway extension should be independently reviewed because increased aircraft noise would be heard outside of Eastleigh.

Spokesman John Lauwerys said: "The airport has greatly overstated the economic benefits of expansion, which will adversely affect the quality of lives of around 46,000 residents, whilst hugely underplaying the environmental impact.

"We are calling for the decision to undergo independent scrutiny.

"We know we have widespread support in the community, and urge those who agree with us to contribute to our fighting fund."

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.

Operations director Steve Szalay said: "We are extremely disappointed that the challenge from the opposition group may potentially add further delay to not only the project but also the creation of over 250 jobs as part of the construction phase.

"We are resolutely committed to these runway extension plans and the 2,500 jobs it will protect and enable."

In a statement, the council said its members had examined "extensive evidence" while respecting relevant legislation and planning policy.

BBC South transport correspondent Paul Clifton previously said any legal challenge could take six months or more to settle.