§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the powers of(a) his Department and (b) other statutory bodies in respect of applications to provide scheduled and charter aircraft services at Biggin Hill Airfield, Kent. [104851]
§ Mr. MullinBiggin Hill Airport Ltd. presented a development strategy for Biggin Hill airfield to Bromley Borough Council in November 1999. No planning application has been received by the Council.
Depending on the circumstances and size of a proposed development, some or all of the following may be required in order to provide aircraft services: planning permission following the completion of an environmental impact assessment, the granting of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) operators safety licence, and permission by the CAA to levy airport charges.
In most cases planning permission for proposed developments would be decided by the relevant local planning authority. However, the Secretary of State has the reserve power to call in a planning application if issues of more than local importance are involved.