Local representatives Dame Caroline Spelman and Craig Tracey led resident’s calls for an extension to the closing date of the public consultation on northbound flight path changes.
The move has come following local concern that the level of public awareness and engagement has been ‘poor’ and following the cancellation of recent meetings with residents.
In a letter to the airport, the MPs said: ‘Both of our constituencies are hugely affected by the Birmingham Airport flight plans; particularly the proposed new route in the Flight Path Changes - North (Runway 33) consultation. With this regard, we are jointly writing to you to express our disappointment at the cancellation of the consultation update meeting which was due to be held on the 15 September 2017 – particularly as this happened at short notice.
‘For this reason, and following a meeting you recently held with Dame Caroline in which you suggested that you may extend the consultation period, we would strenuously request that you extend the overall consultation date of 9 October 2017, so that the revised feedback event can take place still allowing for time after for our constituents to complete their consultation forms’
‘Due to the approach to the consultation and the fact that you are amending the proposals during the consultation process itself, we feel it is important that our constituents be privy to the most up to date information to enable them to respond accurately to the flight path changes’.
The consultation is currently scheduled to run from Monday 3rd July 2017 until Monday 9th October 2017 and is available via: https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/about-us/community-and-environment/flight-path-changes-north-runway33/.