George Best Belfast City Airport - Expansion Plans and Objections

Expansion Plans and Objections

As the airport is adjacent to residential areas, the issue of noise pollution is a major one and a source of public debate. The airport has developed a noise management strategy following a planning agreement, under which the airport operates, and has established operational noise abatement procedures.

The airport has recently applied for a complete removal of the limit on the seats it can sell – a key element of the 1997 planning agreement, which guards against over-expansion of an airport which is sited in a densely populated location. As a result, numerous residents' groups have formed a coalition – The Coalition Against Belfast City Airport Expansion – to protest against the airport's proposed expansion plans, and to represent the views of residents at the Examination in Public held during 2006.

The airport is now preparing to make a proposal for a hotel to be sited either on the land currently occupied by the cargo facilities or the short stay car park. If sited on the car park, it would have a covered walkway into the terminal. The nearest hotels to the airport are in the city centre, around 10 to 15 minutes drive from the terminal during peak times.

Restrictions applied to the airport include:

• The requirement for flights to operate between 6:30 am and 9:30 pm (with extensions granted in exceptional circumstances to operate delayed flights up to midnight).
• That there would be a limit of 45,000 commercial (and unlimited general aviation) aircraft movements in any year, restricted further in 2008 to 48,000 combined commercial and general aviation aircraft movements.
• That airlines must not offer more than 4 million seats for sale on flights from the airport per year.
• The majority of flights must approach and depart the airport over Belfast Lough (currently 57% as of December 2008), rather than over the city of Belfast.
• Any flight departing over the lough must turn left to head north (further from land) at 500 feet. Only after reaching 2000 feet (for turboprops) or 3000 feet (for jet aircraft) may they then turn south to move over land again.
• Any flight departing over the city must head in a straight line until 2000 feet (for turboprop aircraft) or 3000 feet (for jet aircraft) before they are allowed to turn.

The airport owners are studying providing access to the airport through the adjacent Holywood Exchange retail development. This would take advantage of the high capacity flyover serving that site and reduce congestion at the existing entrances.