Airport decision by end of the month while others are put on ice

Saturday 11 May 2024

Plans for revamping Alderney Airport go before the island’s Building & Development Control Committee at the end of May.

The designs for the £24m. project were first submitted in November and there had been early expectations that work would begin this Spring.

Guernsey's States backed work to lengthen and widen the asphalt runway to allow larger planes to allow, as well as revamp the passenger terminal and airport fire station, in December 2022.

Since then there have been concerns about the cost of the project with some calls for it to be rethought.

A detailed report by planning officers will be available from 15 May ahead of the BDCC meeting at the Island Hall's Anne French Room at 14:15 on 30 May.

"The Planning Office's priority focus has been on the detailed application since it was submitted at the end of last year by infrastructure consultants AECOM on behalf of Guernsey Ports, along with a subsequent environmental assessment report," a States of Alderney spokesperson said.

"The limited resources available to Alderney's Planning Office means this has delayed some routine planning matters."

BDCC will resume regular applications at its June meeting although most current applications are expected to be delayed until 25 July.

The full application can be accessed online.

If it goes ahead, the project will bring a peak of 66 construction workers to the site, up to 50 of which could be housed in temporary accommodation.

16 more jobs are expected to be taken by residents.

The proposed development will generate economic benefits for both the local (Alderney) and national economy (i.e. Guernsey, Jersey and South West England) during the construction phase.

It is estimated that construction activity will contribute approximately £4.42m in total to both economies, of which £880,000 would directly contribute to Alderney.