Alderney committee approves airport plans
Alderney’s new airport passed its final planning stage yesterday and the chairman of the island’s Building & Development Control Committee said it was now up to Guernsey to give the go ahead for the long-awaited upgrade.
Kevin Gentle said the two-hour meeting had gone very smoothly.
‘The only change to the original, very thorough, application was an extra condition for a drainage system for the car park which can be prone to flooding,’ he said.
‘We have now given our permission, so it is over to Guernsey for the final go-ahead.’
The application gives permission for a new terminal and fire station buildings plus the reconstruction, lengthening and widening of the runway.
Guernsey’s States backed the scheme, with an estimated cost of £24m., in December 2022, although many deputies predicted the final bill would be much higher unless the scheme was modified.
It was put forward by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board, with the support of the then Policy & Resources Committee, and Aurigny, which said an extension would lead to savings in the annual subsidy to run air routes to Alderney.
However deputies were assured the project would be returned to the Assembly if estimated costs escalated.
The president of the current P&R, Deputy Lyndon Trott, has previously said he wants it re-examined for the value for money provided.
STSB is believed still to be a few weeks away from announcing final tender prices and appointing a contractor.
In its report for the application, planning officers in Alderney said the plans were in the long-term public interest and would bring a ‘substantial benefit’ to the island.
About 25 people attended the meeting, but Mr Gentle said that no one raised any serious objections to the plans.
‘There were just general questions from the public about details of the application,’ he said, ‘such as regarding fencing around the perimeter.’
