Expansion
Since 1999, the aerodrome has sought planning permission for a hard runway, which intended to allow operations to continue over the winter, when the grass runways often become waterlogged. In February 2010, the final inspection of the newly completed All-Weather hard runway was carried out by the CAA who confirmed that it could be licensed for use.
The organizations STARE (Stop The Aerodrome Runway Expansion) and CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) campaigned against this change, arguing that it would lead to more and larger aircraft flying over the area and disturb its "rural tranquility". Permission was granted for the runway on 22 November 2007 by the Department for Transport, and though campaigners vowed to fight the decision they were unsuccessful and construction of the runway began in 2008. It opened during summer 2009 and enabled safe operations during the winter of 2009/2010 and onwards.
Read more about this topic: Sywell Aerodrome
Famous quotes containing the word expansion:
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