Swansea airport row takes off

Swansea airport row takes off

There are flights to London, Dublin, Cork and Jersey from Swansea Airport
A row has broken out between Swansea council and the Welsh assembly over plans for further development of the city’s airport.
Council planners were to consider an application for two aircraft hangars at the Gower site, but the assembly has issued an order preventing councillors granting the bid.

Swansea Council leader Lawrence Bailey said the airport played a key role in developing the south west Wales economy and he feared assembly intervention could mean the application being delayed by up to six months.

He told BBC Online he would instruct the council’s legal department to become involved unless the assembly “backed off” within the next few days.

We can’t allow it to go on for much longer – in days, not weeks, we will ask our legal team to take this up

Swansea Council leader Lawrence Bailey

“First of all we do not understand why this has been done,” he said.

“We do not want this application hanging around for too long as we see the airport as an important part of the up and coming economy of Swansea.

“We can’t allow it to go on for much longer and our planning officers are pressing the assembly but in days, not weeks, we will ask our legal team to take this up.”

No expansion

The assembly says it has asked the council for more information about the application before deciding whether to call it in.

Some Gower residents have been campaigning against the redevelopment of Swansea Airport, which is home to Air Wales.

They say its location on Gower, the first area in Wales to be designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, is totally unsuitable.

Services to London, Cork, Dublin and Jersey have been launched in the last two years and Air Wales wants to use the aircraft hangars to service its planes.

Swansea Council owns the airport site at Fairwood which it leases to Air Wales.

Councillor Bailey said the airport was being redeveloped and there was no intention to expand the site.

More investment

The authority has just received £620,000 from the Department of Transport to improve safety and security measures there with new perimeter fencing, runway lights, a security pass system and x-ray machines.

“In fairness we have worked well with the assembly which we support in principle and practice as there is far more investment coming to Swansea than under the Welsh Office,” he added.

“But we can’t help but feel someone has a chip on their shoulder – can you imagine a decision being made here about Cardiff Airport?”

A spokesman for the assembly said what is known as an Article 14 Stopper had been issued last week which prevents the council from granting planning permission.

“We have written to the council asking for more information about this application and we are awaiting a reply.

“A decision on whether it will then be called in will be taken as soon as possible.”

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It’ll be a real shame if further expansion is blocked here – all thatt’ll happen in Air Wales will pull out and operated from Cardiff!