Meeting to decide flight increase

The maximum annual number of take-offs at Farnborough Airport is 28,000

A Hampshire council is meeting later to decide whether to approve plans to increase flights from Farnborough Airport by 22,000 by 2019.

Airport owner TAG Aviation wants to raise the the total number of take-offs from 28,000 to 50,000 a year, with more traffic at weekends and bank holidays.

Thousands of people responded to a Rushmoor Borough Council consultation on the plan, with many objecting.

Council planners have recommended that the plans be approved.

'Misguided'

The firm's planning application is due to be considered at a special meeting of the council's development control committee later.

Caroline Lucas, MEP for Hampshire and the South East, said: "By recommending this airport expansion goes ahead, Rushmoor planners appear irresponsible and misguided.

"Given the fall in UK flight passenger numbers, any supposed economic argument for expansion now rings especially hollow.

"I urge councillors to throw out this application - the last thing we need is more traffic in our skies, resulting in increased air and noise pollution and ever greater climate emissions."

TAG has said it would tackle any noise issues, and that the expansion would create 1,500 jobs.

The company has claimed it is committed to developing a low-carbon airport, and would phase out all but the most modern and quietest categories of aircraft.

TAG has also ruled out an additional runway or terminal being be built.