UTT/18/0460/FUL – STANSTED AIRPORT Birchanger, Elsenham, Stansted, Takeley parishes (MAJOR) PROPOSAL: Airfield works comprising two new taxiway links to the existing runway (a Rapid Access Taxiway and a Rapid Exit Taxiway), six additional remote aircraft stands (adjacent Yankee taxiway); and three additional aircraft stands (extension of the Echo Apron) to enable combined airfield operations of 274,000 aircraft movements (of which not more than 16,000 movements would be Cargo Air Transport Movements (CATM)) and a throughput of 43 million terminal passengers, in a 12-month calendar period LOCATION: Stansted Airport APPLICANT: Stansted Airport Limited (STAL) AGENT: Mr A Andrew, STAL EXPIRY DATE: 30 November 2018 CASE OFFICER: Karen Denmark 1. NOTATION 1.1 Within Development Limits, Ancient Woodland, Local Wildlife Site, site covers area of Policies AIR1-7 in the adopted Uttlesford Local Plan (2005). 2. DESCRIPTION OF SITE 2.1 The application site relates to Stansted Airport, including all land airside and landside. Physical works are only proposed airside adjacent to the runway. 3. PROPOSAL 3.1 The proposal relates to the construction of a rapid access taxiway (RAT), a rapid exit taxiway (RET), and a total of 9 additional stands over two locations. These additional facilities would enable the optimal use of the runway, improving efficiency in the peak hours. The stands are required to provide overnight parking for home- based airlines. The proposal also seeks to uplift passenger numbers from the currently consented 35 million passengers per annum (mppa) to 43mppa. 3.2 The airport currently has planning permission for a total of 274,000 aircraft movements. This is restricted to no more than 243,500 passenger air transport movements (PATMs), no more than 20,500 cargo air transport movements (CATMs). There was a further condition limiting the number of “general aviation” movements to 10,000 per annum. This limit applies to aircraft not carrying “for hire or reward” passengers or cargo, or non-scheduled air transport services where the passenger seating capacity does not exceed ten. 3.3 This application does not propose to increase the number of aircraft movements from 274,000. Originally it sought a unified total of 274,000 which could have consisted of any combination of flights. The Environmental Statement was carried out with a specific assumption of an increase in passenger flights to 253,000 PATMs in 2028 at 43mppa, with “other” flights being reduced to 5000 per annum. Officers sought clarification with regards to the description and it was subsequently confirmed that no more than 16,000 CATMs were proposed. This would permit 258,000 ATMs for passenger and/or general aviation movements. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 4.1 The application with an Environmental Statement in line with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. This consists of Volume 1 which is the Environmental Statement (ES) and two volumes of appendices. There is also a Non-Technical Summary (NTS). Regulation 4(5) of those Regulations requires the local planning authority to ensure that they have, or have access as necessary to, sufficient expertise to examine the environmental statement. In this regard, the case officer has worked in conjunction with: officers from: Essex County Council (ECC), Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), East Herts District Council (EHDC), Place Services (ECC), Network Rail, Highways England (HE), Natural England, and UDC’s Environmental Health Manager (Protection), Senior Health Improvement Officer, and the Communities Manager. Further expertise has been provided to ECC and HE by Jacobs and AECOM respectively. Officers have also been advised by consultants from: WYG (air quality) (WYG), and Bickerdike Allen Partners LLP (BAP). Consultation advice has been given by: Thames Water and Environment Agency (EA). 5. APPLICANT’S CASE 5.1 The application is also accompanied by a Transport Statement, a Planning Statement, Design and Access Statement, and a Statement of Community Involvement. 6. RELEVANT SITE HISTORY 6.1 (The 2008 Planning Permission, also referred to as Generation (Gen) 1): UTT/0717/06/FUL – Extension to the passenger terminal; provision of additional aircraft stands and taxiways, aircraft maintenance facilities, offices, cargo handling facilities, aviation fuel storage, passenger and staff car parking and other operational and industrial support accommodation; alterations to airport roads, terminal forecourt and the Stansted rail, coach and bus station; together with associated landscaping and infrastructure as permitted development under application UTT/1000/01/OP but without complying with condition MPPA1 and varying condition AMT1 to 264,000 ATMs. Refused 2006, allowed on appeal 2008. 6.2 (The 2003 Planning Permission): UTT/1000/01/OP - Extension to the passenger terminal; provision of additional aircraft stands and taxiways, aircraft maintenance facilities, offices, cargo handling facilities, aviation fuel storage, passenger and staff car parking and other operational and industrial support accommodation; alterations to airport roads, terminal forecourt and the Stansted rail, coach and bus station; together with associated landscaping and infrastructure. Approved 2003. 6.3 UTT/1150/80/SA – Outline application for expansion of Stansted Airport by provision of new passenger terminal complex with capacity of about 15mppa east of existing runway, cargo handling and general aviation facilities, hotel accommodation, taxiways (including widening of proposed taxiway) to be used as an emergency runway), associated facilities (including infrastructure for aircraft maintenance and other tenants’ developments) and related road access. Approved by Secretaries of State 5 June 1985. 7. POLICIES The Development Plan - Uttlesford Local Plan (2005) 7.1 S4 – Stansted Airport Boundary AIR1 – Terminal Support Area AIR2 – Cargo Handling/Aircraft Maintenance Area AIR3 – Southern Ancillary Area AIR4 – Northern Ancillary Area AIR5 – Long Term Car Park AIR6 – Landscaped Areas AIR7 – Public Safety Zone GEN1 – Access GEN3 – Flood Protection GEN4 – Good Neighbourliness GEN5 – Light Pollution GEN6 – Infrastructure Provision to Support Development GEN7 – Nature Conservation ENV2 – Development affecting Listed Buildings ENV4 – Ancient Monuments and Sites of Archaeological Interest ENV7 – The Protection of the Natural Environment – Designated Sites ENV9 – Historic Landscapes ENV11 – Noise Generators ENV12 – Protection of Water Resources ENV13 – Exposure to Poor Air Quality National Policies 7.2 NPPF (2018) Planning Practice Guidance 7.3 Aviation Policy Framework (March 2013) Beyond the Horizon: The future of UK aviation – Next steps towards an Aviation Strategy (April 2018) Beyond the Horizon: The future of UK aviation (June 2018) Other Policy Regulation 19 Uttlesford Local Plan The Spatial Vision: Theme 2 – Support Sustainable Business Growth SP2 – The Spatial Strategy 2011 - 2033 SP11 – London Stansted Airport Airports National Policy Statement (June 2018) Stansted Airport Sustainable Development Plan 8. CONSULTATION 8.1 The application has been advertised and two periods of consultation have been carried out, the first ending on 30 April 2018 and the second on 30 August 2018. The Council has also engaged proactively with statutory consultees. This report has had regard to consultation responses. In addition, the Council will be holding three sessions over two days of public speaking as part of a further consultation period. These are to be held on 6 and 7 November 2018. 9. APPRAISAL The issues to consider in the determination of the application are: A The principle of the development B Surface Access and Transport C Air Noise D Ground Noise E Surface Access Noise F Air Quality G Socio-Economic Impacts H Carbon Emissions I Climate Change J Public Health and Wellbeing K Water Resources and Flood Risk L Non-significant Topics M Cumulative Effects N Other issues A The principle of the development 9.1 The Local Plan sets out limits on the physical extent of the airport. Section 16 of the Plan sets out the background to the airport. The airport is within an area covered by Local Plan general Policy S4 which relates to the airport as a whole and includes the area of the application. S4 makes provision for individual area policies called development zones. The zones ensure that all airport direct and associated uses can be accommodated within the airport boundary. Industrial and commercial development unrelated to the airport will not be permitted on the site. The adopted Uttlesford Local Plan splits the airport into 6 separate policy sections. These policies, AIR1 to AIR6 relate to the types of development that will be permitted in each area of each of those policies, or not permitted in respect of Policy AIR6. 9.2 In terms of physical development, the proposed rapid access taxiway (RAT) and rapid exit taxiway (RET) and aircraft stands fall within the area covered by Policy S4 and outside the development zones. The adopted policy is silent in terms of specific development in this area although the extent of its coverage does support development directly related to or associated with Stansted Airport. Policies AIR1 to AIR6, whilst applying to different areas of the airport, are not specifically relevant to the proposals in this application. 9.3 The NPPF (2018, paragraph 213, requires that due weight be given to existing local policies according to their degree of consistency with that Framework. NPPF paragraph