Coventry Airport introduced scheduled passenger flights in 2004 even though it did not have planning permission for its new passenger terminal.

However, after a Public Inquiry, the Government granted retrospective planning permission for an interim passenger facility.

Coventry Airport has since sought to expand its operations further but the Government has rejected proposals for a much larger permanent terminal. The airport is currently challenging that decision in the High Court.

Because Coventry Airport is badly located in terms of public transport access the vast majority of passengers travel by car, increasing congestion and carbon dioxide emissions on the road network.

The increase and noise and impacts on air quality would be considerable. And we do not believe the airport is proposing good enough measures to contain this.
Expansion would increases the impact on the countryside around the airport and we continue to oppose it.

We believe that the airport’s passenger throughput should be capped at no more than 1 million per year. We are also calling for stronger control over air freight activity at the airport.

12 October 2007