Farnborough Airport invites feedback on plans for long-term growth

Farnborough Airport is launching a public consultation process which seeks feedback from its local communities on the Airport’s long-term growth potential and the economic benefits this would bring.

As one of the largest employment sites in the local area, Farnborough Airport contributes £200m to the local economy each year, supporting many thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the process. Ensuring this continues is vital to the future of both the Airport and its regional economy.

Farnborough has been the home of British aviation for nearly 120 years and is the nexus of a vibrant and growing aerospace cluster, with world-class aviation and ancillary businesses attracted to the region, bringing high-skilled and well-paid jobs to Hampshire, Surrey and beyond.

Through a combination of market growth and limited airport capacity elsewhere, market demand for flights from Farnborough Airport is forecast to reach 70,000 per year by 2040. To meet this increasing demand and to safeguard the Airport’s long-term future, Farnborough Airport will be holding a consultation process to seek feedback on proposals to amend its annual flight limit from 50,000 to 70,000 per year.

The proposals, alongside other operational changes, will enable Farnborough Airport to continue to be the catalyst for long-term economic prosperity in the region, supporting directly and indirectly 4,100 local jobs and generating £470m of Gross Value Added by 2040.

Farnborough Airport will also be consulting on a number of proposals to enhance and improve its community funds programme. The Airport is proposing to increase the levels of funding for environmental and community projects in the local area, including the launch of a new Sustainability Fund.

Simon Geere, Chief Executive of Farnborough Airport, said, “By satisfying the growing demand for connectivity from Farnborough Airport, our proposals will create hundreds of new jobs within the local community and give a boost to the unique aerospace cluster that we are part of. This will be vitally important for the future economic prosperity of the region.

“At the same time, Farnborough Airport is leading the way on airport sustainability. We recently achieved Level 4+ Carbon Neutrality which is the highest possible accolade, and last year we set ourselves one of the most ambitious targets in the industry, by committing to be Net Zero across our controllable emissions by 2030 or sooner.

“We are looking forward to sharing our proposals for the future of the Airport with the local community and receiving feedback on how we can continue to contribute to the ongoing economic prosperity of the communities we serve.”

All members of the local community are warmly invited to take part in the consultation and more information is available on the project website: FarnboroughAirport2040.com

Detailed information about the proposals will be shared with the public from 20th September 2023. The information will be available to view on the website and at six public consultation events, where Farnborough Airport’s project team will be on hand to discuss the proposals and answer any questions:

• Wednesday 20th September, 5:30-8:30pm. Farnborough College of Technology, Boundary Road, Farnborough GU14 6SB.
• Thursday 21st September, 4-8pm. Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham GU9 7QR.
• Saturday 23rd September, 10:30am-1:30pm. West End Centre, 48 Queens Road, Aldershot GU11 3JD.
• Tuesday 26th September, 4-8pm. The Harlington Centre, 236 Fleet Road, Fleet GU51 4BY.
• Thursday 28th September, 4-8pm. Lakeside International Hotel, Wharf Road, Frimley Green GU16 6JR.
• Saturday 30th September, 10am-3pm. Farnborough College of Technology, Boundary Road, Farnborough GU14 6SB.

The consultation will close on 18th October 2023.

Members of the local community can get in touch with the project team at any time via freephone on 0808 164 6061 or email at Contact@FarnboroughAirport2040.com

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 7th September 2023 | Issue #714