From:To: Airspace PolicySubject: Decisions by the Secretary of State (call in request)Date: 20 November 2018 16:56:51Attachments: BHX - Response to BHX Consultation - November 2017.pdf1.pdf

Dear CAA,

I am writing to you to request a call in in respect of “Birmingham Airport Runway 33standard instrument procedures”.

The Calthorpe Residents Society submitted its concerns with regards to the consultationprocess, and also the changes to the flight data which local communities sought on theimpact of changing a non-standard flightpath to a standard flightpath called MOSUN.These are attached for your use.

This flightpath overflies a substantial number of people and communities. There areapprox 170,000 people affected by this flightpath. This is substantially more than isoverflown by the South flightpath.

The flightpath also overflies a number of schools, two major universities and several keyhospitals. The Edgbaston and Harborne areas have the highest density of education andhealth institutions in the West Midlands and Birmingham.

Our area has had to lobby for improved consultation to ensure local residents wereinformed and understood the scale of the planned flightpath changes. Our area had onlyone small initial consultation meeting and we lobbied for a second meeting through ourMP as well as direct with the Airport. This was granted and the deadline extended. At thissecond meeting a high level of concern was expressed about impact and consultation.

The Calthorpe Society in submitting its response recognised the merit of a high quality andwell connected airport for Birmingham, although we have strong reservations about detailscontained in the flightpath proposal and are eager to enter into a constructive dialogue inorder to explore better alternatives.

While we have had subsequent meetings with the Airport, we remain concerned that ourlocal communities still do not fully understand the implications and potential long termimpacts from the standardisation of the MOSUN flightpath due to the inadequacies in theconsultation undertaken in 2017. Equally we do feel that the Airport should institutechanges to its consultation processes to acknowledge the interests of communities underthe MOSUN flight path, via the Airport Consultative Committee.

I hope you will be able to consider our concerns in your own decision-making process.

Thanks you

Best wishes

MA, DipTP, MRTPI(rtd), FRSA

mailto:Airspace.Policy@caa.co.uk

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CalthorpeResidentsSociety

BirminghamAirportMOSUNFlightpathConsultation

ThispaperprovidesananalysisoftheimpactoftheflightpathconsultationasitaffectsEdgbaston,Harborneandsurroundingareas.ThisisaCalthorpeResidentsSociety(CRS)responseagreedbyitsCommitteeon7thNovember2017.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

BirminghamAirport(BHX)announcedon29thJune2017itsplanstoconsultonchangingthedesignationofaflightpathknownas“MOSUN”froma“non-designated”routetoa“designated“route.

Thisconsultationperiodforthisflightpathwasduetoendon9thOctober,andhassincebeenextendedtwice-tothe9thNovemberandfinallytothe16thNovember.TheseextensionshavebeengrantedbyBHXfollowingpressurefromlocalCllrsandtheEdgbastonMPaboutthepoorqualityofcommunityconsultationwiththeEdgbaston,HarborneandQuintoncommunities.Thisangerlocallywasclearlyshownatthe16thOctoberconsultationmeeting.

ThisisastatementagreedbytheCRSCommitteefollowingconsiderationoftheissuesraisedbytheconsultationprocessandtheinformationprovided.Thereareanumberofkeyissues,which,intheCommittee’sview,havenotbeentakenintoaccountbyBHXinassessingtheimpactofdesignatingtheMOSUNflightpathasa“standard”routefordepartures.

Therearefourkeyissues,whicharedetailedfurtherinthisresponse:

! Throughoutthisconsultationperiod,therehasbeenagreatdealofconfusionaboutinformationreleasedbyBHXonthenumberofflightsforecasttouseMOSUN.Thisisespeciallyconcerninginregardstothesuggestedhugevariationinflightsoverourarea–rangingfrom500in2016toproposalsofbetween2000and7500by2023!

! ButwhatisalsoofconcernisthatBHXarenotconsultingonthelonger-termimpactofMOSUNbeyond2023.BHXhaveanapproved2030MasterPlan,whichshowsapotentialgrowthintotalBHXtraffic.ThiscouldwellresultinthenumberofflightsviaMOSUNbeinginexcessof15,000.BHXarenowpreparingtheir2045MasterPlan,whichmaywellshowanevengreatergrowthinflights(possiblyupto22,000?).BHXwillnotbeconsultingonthisnewplantillSpring2018.

! InadditionnoalternativesforaflightpathtothelineproposedforthisMOSUNflightpathhavebeenconsideredtotaketrafficawayfromoursensitivecommunities,duetotheBHXviewthatMOSUNwasan“established”route.

! Inaddition,thereisacompletelackofexplanationandanabsenceofanenvironmental(noise,pollution/airquality,etc)impactassessmentontheimpactofMOSUNasnew“standard”route.GiventhattheMOSUNflightpathwilltakeapprox70/75%oftheresidentialcommunitiesaffectedbyBHXdeparturesandcoversoneofthegreatestconcentrationsofessentialhealthfacilitiesintheWestMidlands,andfliesoversome20+schoolsand2

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universitycampusesandastatutorySSSI(EdgbastonPool),thisisofenormousconcern.

ItisthereforetheviewoftheCRSCommitteethatthisconsultationhasbeenpoorlydesignedandflawedinconceptionfromtheoutset.Theattachedstatementsetsdownourfurtherreasonsandevidenceforcomingtothisconclusiononthebasisofprematurity,inadequateconsultationandabsenceofadetailedimpactassessment.

CalthorpeResidentsSocietyCommittee

9November2017

SandyTaylor

ForandonbehalfofCalthorpeResidentsSocietyinfo@calthorperesidents.org

Green Urbanist MA, DipTP, MRTPI, FRSA Member Academy of Urbanism, Member of Lunar Society sandy.taylor2020@icloud.com

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SupportingInformation

Background

BirminghamAirport(BHX)announcedon29thJuneitsplanstoconsultonchangingthedesignationoftheMOSUNflightpathfroma“non-designated”routetoa“designated“route.

CAAguidancestatesthat“If an airport wants to request a permanent change to its flightpaths, they must, as the ‘change sponsor’, submit an Airspace Change Proposal”. This will be to the CAA’s Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG)

ThereisanagreedCAAprocess,whichhastobefollowed.Thisissetdownhere(http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%20725%20update%20March%202016%20amend.pdf)

BHXarecurrentlyatStage4oftheCAAprocess.HoweverBHXhavesaidthatthisparticularflightpathconsultationconcernsonlytheperiodfromnow(2016/17)to2018and2023.

BHXalsosaiditwouldholdaseriesofconsultationmeetings,andalsoinformawiderangeofstakeholdersandpotentialinterestedparties.AlthoughitshouldbenotedthatnoschoolsorhospitalshavebeenformallyinformedorconsulteddirectlybyBHX.

Theconsultationhasnotbeenwellreceivedbymanyinterestedcommunityorganisationsandindividuals,duetothepaucityandqualityofinformationsuppliedonwhatthischangecouldmeanforEdgbastonandHarborneespecially.

Thispaperprovidessomekeyfactsregarding

! thestatusoftheMOSUNflightpathatpresent! theformoftheconsultationprocess! therelationshipofthisconsultationwiththeBHXMasterPlan;and! theimpactsoftherevisedflightpathonresidential,schoolandhealth

communitiesproposedtobeoverflownbyMOSUN.

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Inreadingthesefacts,anumberofquestionsareraisedabouttheprocess,whichisbeingconductedbyBHXanditswiderandlongertermimplications

TheMOSUNflightpath

TheMOSUNflightpathisacurrentlyusedasa“non-standard”flightpath.ThismeansthatitisnotconsideredwithinthecurrentBirminghamAirportMasterPlan,andsoisnotlistedatall(MasterPlan2030).BHXcurrentlyuse3flightpathsfordepartures–Whitegate,TrentandSouth.Seethemapbelowfromthe2030MasterPlan–MOSUNisnotshownatallandsoisnotlistedasa“potentialdepartureroute”for2022and2030.

INSERTED–FIGURE9.1fromtheBirminghamAirport2030MasterPlan

MOSUNasa“non-designated”flightpathisusedcurrentlybydeparturestoSouthWestEurope(Portugal,Faro,Canaries)butonlyatweekendsandweekdayevenings.AnynightflightsarecoveredbythecurrentBHXnighttimepolicy(basedon%ageoftotalflightdepartures)

BHXsaythattheCAAisundertakinganationalreviewofairspacetoaccommodatesubstantialgrowthinflightsnationally.Thismeansthatoneofthecurrent3

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flightpathswillbediscontinued-Whitegate.Intheimmediateshortterm(by2018),BHXsaythatallthecurrentflightsusingWhitegatewillbereallocatedonlytotheTrentflightpath.Sotherewouldbevirtuallynochangebetweennowand2018forMOSUNdepartures.

HoweverBHXhavespreadconfusionaboutpotentialMOSUNdeparturesbeyond2018intheirconsultation.

! Thecurrent(2016)levelofMOSUNdeparturesisapprox500

! Howeverby2023flightdeparturesviaMOSUN,BHXsaidintheirJune2017websiteconsultationpaper,thatflightswouldincreaseto2000(fromthecurrent500).Theninanemailon26thSeptembertoaCRSmember(JohnHunt),AndyHolding(BHXCorporateResponsibilityManager)saidthatflightswouldincreaseto7665.“Assumingthattheprojectissuccessfulitisforecastthatin2023therewouldbeapproximately1,936flightsoperatingontherouteduringthe92daysummerperiod(16thJuneto15thSeptember).Forthecalendaryear2023,whentakingintoaccountgrowthinthetotalnumberofaircraftoperatingattheAirportcombinedwiththeproposedincreasedavailabilityofMOSUNitisforecastthattherewouldbeapproximately7,665aircraftusingtherouteperannum.”

! AndthenintheirHarborneconsultationmeetingon16thOctober,theflightswouldincreasetoslightlylessat7027by2023!

Theredoesnotseemtobeanyrationalreasonfortheseapparentdiscrepanciesinflightnumbers.

BHXhavealsonotbeenabletoexplainwhentheMOSUNflightpathasa“non-standard”flightpathcameintouseorwhatformofpublicconsultation(ifany)wasundertakenatthisunknowntime.Thisisofseriousconcernasourcommunitieshaveneverbeenconsultedonthecurrentnumberofflightsoverus.

AstheSocietyunderstands,ifBHXsecureCAAapprovaltoMOSUNasarecognised“standard”3rdflightpaththenitisfairlylikelythatairlineswillseethisasa“greenlight”toallocateflightsalongMOSUNduringweekdays.AndsofuturegrowthinflightsonMOSUNbeyond2023couldwellbesubstantialinlinewithBHX’sgrowthplansfor2030andalsofor2045(seeourlatercommentsontheBHXMasterPlan)

InadditionithasbeensuggestedatbothHarborneconsultationmeetings(19thJulyand16thOctober)thatBHXconsideranalternativedepartureline,whichfliesovertheM6/M5whichwouldavoidEdgbastonandHarbornecommunities.BHXhavenotconfirmedthattheywouldconsideranyalternativeroutes,whilestatingthatrespondentsshouldtaketheopportunitytosuggestalternatives.Theyhavenotofferedanyreasonsastowhytheyhaverefusedtoconsideralternativerotesaspartofthisconsultation.

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TheConsultationProcess

BHXcommencedpublicconsultationon29thJune2017

BHXshouldhavefullycompliedwiththeCAASARGprocess.TherearekeypassagesintheCAAdocument,whichdetailsthis–theSocietyhashighlightedkeypassagesinthisdocument.

Para12

Para14

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InourviewBHXhaveconductedaseriouslyflawedconsultationprocess,whichoughtnottostanduptoscrutinyintheCAA’sownprocesssetdownintheseparagraphs.TheBHXwebsitewhileitlooksprofessionalandwouldappeartoprovidenecessaryinformationaboutprocess,timetableandimpacts(andindeedthewebsiteappearstohaveundergonesomealterationssinceJunetoseektoaddressorprovideadditionalinformation.Howeveritisnowlesseasytofollowwhatwassaidbefore)

Butthisinformationisdenseandnoteasilyunderstood,especiallybycommunitiesandresidents,whohaveneverbeenconsultedbeforeonthis‘non-designated”flightpath,andsouptillnowhavehadlittlereasontobefamiliarwithBHXdeparturesoverEdgbastonandHarborne.

ThereshouldhavebeenafullydetailedimpactassessmentundertakenoftheimpactonMOSUNcommunities,giventhatthisisineffectaNEWdesignatedflightpath.

Keyissuesinclude:

1. Inthefirstinstance,Harborne,QuintonandBartleyGreenWardCllrswerenotconsulted.

2. Inadditiononlyoneplannedmeetingpublicconsultationmeeting(19thJuly)wasannounced.Thismeetingwaspoorlypublicised–nonoticeswerepublishedlocally.IndeeditwasonlythroughtheHarborneCommunityFacebookthataconcernedresidentbroughtittowiderattention,andthentotheQuintonandHarborneWardCommittees.

3. BHXhavenotorganisedpublicmeetingsintheotherWardswhichwouldbeaffectedbytheproposedMOSUNflightpath–Edgbaston,Quinton,BartleyGreen,SellyOak

4. BHXhavenotsoughttoinformbyletterallhouseholdswhichwouldbeaffectedbytheseMOSUNchanges–citingthisasbeingtooexpensive!Despiteourcommunitiesneverhavingbeenconsultedbefore.

5. OurLocalschools,universitiesandhospitalshavenotbeendirectlyconsulted.

IthasonlybeenthroughtheinterventionoftheEdgbastonMPandtheQuintonWardCllrsthatasecondpublicconsultationmeetingwasoffered.Initiallythiswastobeheldon3rdOctoberatHarborneSwimmingPoolCommunityRoom(whichwouldholdatmost30/35people!).WhenthiswaspointedoutbyCllrs,BHXpostponedtoanewdateon16thOctoberatHarborneJuniorSchool,withareviseddeadlineforcommentsof6thNovember.

Again,BHXundertooknorealpublicityoftheirown,relyinginsteadonHarborneCllrs,andaFacebookarticle,topublicisethemeetingandindeedthislackofpublicitywasdiscussedatthe3rdOctoberHarborneWardCommitteewhenvariouslocalcommunityinterestsofferedtopublicisethissecondmeeting–HarborneTraders,MoorpoolCommunity,andCRS.

Some200peopleturnedupatthissecondmeeting,andBHXagainproposed,inthefaceofsubstantialanger,afurtherdeadlinedelay–thistimeto16thNovember.

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TheRelationshipofMOSUNwiththeBHXMasterPlan

ThecurrentBHX2030MasterPlanwasproducedin2007.Thissetdowntheairport’sgrowthplansthroughto2030.

ThisMasterPlandoesnotatanytimementionMOSUN.

Followingthegovernment’sreviewofnationalairspaceandtheDaviesCommission,BHXsubmittedamajorgrowthproposaltotheDaviesCommissionin2013.Theirproposalinoutlineis

1. Basedonthe2030MasterPlan,BHXstatedtheirintentiontogrowtheairportfromthethencurrentpassengernumbersof10mperannum,towards35mandultimatelyaimfor60m.(forcomparison,LondonGatwickwithasinglerunwayhas42mpassengersannually)

2. ThiswouldbeachievedthroughtheconstructionofasecondrunawaytotheeastoftheplannedHS2StationontheeastsideoftheM42Motorway.

3. BHXwouldaimtoretaintheiroriginalrunwayandconnecttheexistingterminalbuildingstothenewrunwayviaanoverheadrailconnection(similartothecurrentair-raillinkatBHXbutwithgreatercapacityandspeed)

ThisplanshowstheBHXproposalintheirsubmission.

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WhiletheseplanswerenotacceptedbytheDaviesCommission,thegrowthimpactofHS2StationandtheassociatedUKCentraldevelopmentsareclearlyinthemindsofBHX.Atameetingon18thOctober,theBHXHeadofPlanningindicatedquiteclearlytoagroupofplanners,thatBHXisundertakingamajorreviewoftheMasterPlantoaccommodatesubstantialgrowthinflightsandpassengers.

Butthis2045MasterPlanwillnotbepublishedforconsultationuntilSpring2018.

ItshouldbenotedthatasBHXpreparesits2045MasterPlan,thatthereisawiderregionalagendaatplay.TheNEC/BHX/LandRover/HS2areaisbeingplannedasamajorgrowthhubfortheMidlands.ThisisfaradvancedandanUrbanGrowthCompany(UGC)hasbeensetuptopromotethe“UrbanGrowthHub”initiativeasanintegratedapproachbetweenLandRover,NEC,HS2andBHX.Thisplanhoweverdoesnotshowa2ndrunway.Itisextensiveascanbeseenfromthisplanpublished(November2017)–seebelow.

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ButasImakeclearintheattachednote,Gatwickoperatesassinglerunwayairportwith42mpassengersannually.Thiscompareswithapprox12/13mpassengersatBHX.

ThereforethestakesarehighbothforBHXtoseektochangeMOSUNtoadesignated24/7flightpathtoaccommodatesubstantialgrowthby2045(toseektomatchLondonGatwickassinglerunwayairportandincreaseitspassengersfrom12/13mperannumto40/42mperannum!),andfortheUGCtodemonstratethatBHXcangrowtothescalenecessarytoallowUGCtoachieveitsambitionsofprovidingupto77000jobs!

WhileBHXhavesaidintheMOSUNflightpathconsultationthattheywillhavetodesignateMOSUN,astheCAAwantsthemtoabandonWhitegateaspartofthenationalairspacereview,thisseemsextremelyprematureBEFOREtheyhavereviewedtheirMasterPlan,whentheirnew2045MasterPlanwillproposesubstantialgrowth(asindeeddoesthe2030MasterPlan).

Indeedtobetrulyhonestandopen,BHXiftheywishtodesignateMOSUNfullyasa“standard”flightpath,thentheyshouldhaveusedthecurrentflightpathconsultationtofullyoutlinewhatthe2030flightnumberswouldbeinsteadofstoppingat2023,andsoartificiallyshowingamuchlowerfigure.Indeedbasedonacrudeassessmentusingtheairport’scurrent2030MasterPlan(basedonaforecastof27mperannum),flightsoverEdgbastonandHarbornecouldbeashighashighas

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15,000(namely40+daily)–notthe2000whichtheinitialJuneconsultationindicatedintheirdocument.

Note-BHXMasterPlan2030(extractfrompage22)

ThisisacrucialomissionbyBHXandbecomesevenmorepertinentasBHXisundertakinga2045MasterPlanreview,withastatedintentiontogrowBHXtowards45m–thiscouldmeanpotentially22,000aircraft(namely60+daily!)overEdgbaston&Harborneby2045.

ThereforeintheSociety’sviewthecurrentMOSUNconsultationisprematureandshouldbepostponedtillafterthedraftMasterPlanispublished.

ImpactsofMOSUN

Finally,theconsultationprocessisalsoflawedinrespectofpresentingwhattheimpactwillbeonourcommunities..

BHXhavenotpresentedtotheHarborneconsultationmeetingsthatMOSUNwillaffectbyfarthegreatestnumberofresidentsofanyoftheflightpaths.IndeedAppendixG(onpage43oftheflightpathConsultationDocument)istheonlyplace

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which,showsthenumbersofresidentialpropertieswhichwouldbeaffectedbyMOSUN.

ThisshowscategoricallythatMOSUNwilltakethebruntofaffectedresidentialproperties–currently69%areaffected,andifMOSUNisdesignated,thenitwilltakethebruntofallaffectedpropertiesat74%.

!

BasedonthisAppendixintheirowndocument,MOSUNhasbyfarandawaythehighestpopulationassessment,withthenumbersofpeoplewhoarelikelytobeaffectedbyMOSUNacrosstheEdgbaston,Harborne

Inaddition,therearemanyschoolswhichwillbeaffectedbytheintroductionofdaytimeweekdaynoise–BlueCoat,EdgbastonHighSchool,KingEdwards,HarborneJuniorandInfant,StPeter’s,WestHouse,HarborneAcademy,etc–ataroughestimateatleast10000pupilswillbeaffectedacrosstheEdgbastonconstituency.Noneoftheseschoolshavebeendirectlyconsulted

InadditiontherearekeyhospitalsatUniversityHospitalBirmingham(theregion’slargestandnationalspecialisthospital),BirminghamWomen’s,andthesoontoberelocatedChildren’s,andprivateNuffieldhospitalsetc–employmenthereisapprox18000,plusseveralthousandpatients.Noneofthesehospitalshavebeendirectlyconsulted

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TheUniversityofBirminghamcampusandtheBCUcampusonWestbourneRoadwithapprox7500staffand35000studentswillbedirectlyaffected.Theuniversitieshavenotbeendirectlyconsulted.

TheenvironmentalassetsofEdgbaston’s“greenheart”–BirminghamBotanicalGardens,EdgbastonPoolwhichisaSSSI,theGuineaGardens&wildlifewilderness,andWinterbourneHouseandGardens,andvariousallotments.

Theconsultationdoesnotseektoexplainwhattheenvironmentalimpactsmightwellbeoverourcommunities.Ashasbeenstatedbefore,ourcommunitieshaveNEVERbeenconsultedonflightdeparturesfromBHX.

BHXshouldhavecommissionedafullenvironmentalimpactassessmentANDundertakenasignificantlymorecomprehensiveconsultationprocessgiventheconcentrationofresidentialcommunities,schools,universitiesandhealthfacilitiesinourcommunity.

CONCLUSION

TheSocietythereforehasanumberofmajorreservationsconcerningthisconsultation.

1. ItisprematureduetoBHXundertakingamajorreviewoftheirMasterPlan,whichcouldhaveasignificantimpactontheneedforandtrajectoryoftheirflightpathsandnumbersofoverflights

2. TheprocessitselfisflawedasBHXhavenotprovidedanydetailedassessmentoftheoverallenvironmentalimpactoverEdgbastonandHarborneandthenumbersofresidents,schools,healthfacilitiesandcommunitieswhowillbeaffectedbyallowingdaytimeoverflightstooccur.

3. ThelistofConsulteesdoesnottakeintoaccountthatthisisamajorproposedexpansionofflightsovertheMOSUNcommunitiesandsoshouldhaveentailedamorethoroughapproachtowardsconsultingwithschoolsandhospitals.

4. BHXhaveprovidedconflictingdataaboutnumbersofflightsforthe2016/2018/2023periodsubjectofthisconsultation,andindeedtheyappeartohavedeliberatelynotdisplayedanydataabouttheimpactoftheirexisting2030MasterPlanoverEdgbastonandHarborne.

5. BHXhavenotshownanywillingnesstoconsideralternativeflightpathoptions.

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