Coventry Airport Building 'Breaks Rules'

February 11, 2004

Airport Building 'Breaks Rules' 
Coventry News, UK 
  
An MP has called on bosses at Coventry Airport to be
called to account after it was revealed they breached
planning rules.

James Plaskitt made his demand after Warwick District
Council planners disclosed temporary terminal
buildings were breaching guidelines.

The buildings are being put up to cater for a huge
increase in passengers taking low cost flights.

An investigation by Warwick District Council has found
some work already undertaken at the Baginton site
broke planning regulations.

Enforcement action is being considered and could
include ordering the buildings be pulled down.

The news comes just six weeks before no-frills
operator Thomsonfly.com launches a new service to 11
destinations in Europe from the airport.

The operator aims to cater for half a million
passengers this summer.

Today Warwick and Leamington MP James Plaskitt called
for action to be taken as the airport had broken rules
and “forged ahead regardless of existing agreements”.

He said: “The airport has been breaking the rules.
They have been operating outside their permitted
development rights.

“That’s quite a serious thing for them to have done.
They need to be brought into order.”

Planning officers say new temporary buildings next to
current airport buildings, which will be used to
process passengers from the end of March, are too big
and breach planning controls.

A report to go before next Tuesday’s planning
committee says the engineering work to the overrun
area of the main runway is also in breach of planning
regulations.

This is because the “nature of the works already
undertaken” show the overrun area could be used as
runway, which is prohibited.

The report adds that bringing in rubble to the site,
which could be used to create a car park, breaks
planning rules and is a “matter of concern”.

Other issues, including the creation of a new road
within the airport and the use of land next to the
Royal Oak pub in Baginton, for the storage of new
cars, will be investigated further.

A planning application for a permanent terminal
building is currently being considered.

Steve Guynan, group secretary of Air Atlantique, which
runs the airport, said: “There are things in there
(the report) we don’t agree with.”

And he added that work would be done to meet planning
requirements.

“If they need tweaking, we will tweak the facilities.”
 

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