§ Mr. Paul ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has for changes in the arrangements for safeguarding aerodromes and navigation facilities. [133613]
§ Mr. MullinThe safeguarding of certain aerodromes and navigation facilities is a process under which local planning authorities are directed to consult the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on development proposals which may have consequences for the safe operation of those aerodromes or navigation facilities. The CAA has no powers to prevent development, but where it considers that a proposed development would affect protected airspace it can advise against it. Planning authorities are obliged to take such advice into account in making their decisions.
We consider that it would be more appropriate that those aerodromes which are currently safeguarded by the CAA should be safeguarded by the aerodrome operators themselves. Navigation aids which are provided for aerodrome navigation purposes should also be safeguarded by the aerodrome operator. The CAA will provide full training in this task and, as part of its responsibility for aerodrome licensing, will audit and oversee aerodrome operators' performance of the task.
Where a technical site is owned and operated by NATS, NATS should safeguard the facilities, subject to monitoring by the Authority as part of its regulatory assessment process.
776WWe shall be consulting local government and others concerned about the revision of the departmental circular and the statutory direction. Meanwhile, when a local planning authority consults the CAA about a planning application arising within a safeguarded area, the CAA will obtain the views of the relevant aerodrome on that application and, if it agrees with their views, forward them to the relevant planning authority with an indication of its support for them.