Warwickshire councillors 'appalled' over failure to consult on plans to increase night-time flights from Birmingham Airport

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s planning officers have advised their councillors to approve the airport’s request for a greater proportion of flights to take off between 11pm and 6am each day to cater for growing demand.

Current rules allow up to five per cent of flights to take place at night. If approved, the new policy would allow that to go up to an average of 7.3 per cent across three years with a cap of 7.6 in any year.

The airport’s data suggests that more passengers are now carried by fewer flights, meaning the current cap would restrict it to 5,500 night flights per year by 2026-27 when it projects needing to deliver 7,600.

Planning officers say the economic benefits outweigh any impacts but there has been a 642-strong petition, a backlash from many of Solihull's parish councils and 243 objections, including from Kenilworth Town Council. Three supportive comments were submitted.

The decision is due to be taken on Wednesday despite North Warwickshire’s last-ditch request to delay it so the authority could properly consider and respond to the proposals.

On Monday, head of development control Jeff Brown told North Warwickshire’s planning board that there had been “no consultation whatsoever with this council” and that he had become aware of the impending decision through “press reports” before confirming his counterpart at Solihull had said no to holding off on the decision.

“They say they will not defer consideration, that they do not need to consult and that it will have no effect on parishes in North Warwickshire,” said Mr Brown.

He recommended objecting based on “not having any information at all on the possible impact” before referring the matter back to the chair of the committee Councillor Mark Simpson (Con, Fillongley), who noted Mr Brown had been “way more polite than I would have been” in his summary.

Cllr Simpson acknowledged that the Airport Consultative Committee, which includes representatives of councils, was engaged but that the matter was “far too important” to not have direct and meaningful consultations with neighbouring councils.

“I would have thought this would be something any reasonable neighbouring authority would have consulted with us on,” said Cllr Simpson.

“We may, having seen the evidence, not have objected once we understood it, but there could be a negative impact on the residents of North Warwickshire so I think it is deeply regrettable.”

Councillor Peter Fowler (Con, Coleshill North) added: “If it had been in reverse, Solihull would have been just as annoyed as we are at not being consulted.

“Along with many other Coleshill residents, I am on the flight path along with Curdworth and Water Orton. I am quite appalled that they have not had the decency to consult with us.”

Councillor Margret Bell (Con, Hartshill), who also serves on the cabinet of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Because of the way aeroplanes work, going round in circles before they land, (the airport) must be a regional asset.

“If you are looking at changes to that asset, the whole region should be involved. I am also appalled that we haven’t been officially consulted on this, and not just us, other boroughs that could possibly be affected.”