A judicial review into the decision to allow a runway extension at Southampton Airport is due to start on Wednesday.

Tomorrow, campaigners will argue that Eastleigh Borough Council's decision to approve the extension was "unlawful" and that, at the time, residents were waiting for a separate decision on whether a public inquiry would be held.

Council leader Keith House, on the other hand, said the authority has "every confidence" the review will fail.

Before proceedings get underway at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, we look back at the major developments of the last 12 months to explain how, and why, we got to where we are.

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A controversial subject

The expansion of Southampton Airport has been a controversial topic for years.

Those against it have cited concerns over traffic, noise and air pollution as well as increasing carbon emissions which would undo recent progress on the fight against climate change. 

However, airport bosses say the extension will allow them to create around 2,500 jobs and boost the local economy.

It will also help secure the future of the airport going forward, they claim.

Daily Echo: Southampton AirportSouthampton Airport

Application approved

After years of back and worth over the proposals, Eastleigh Local Area Committee refused the plans in March last year due to environmental concerns.

However, as the decision was considered a matter of significance across the borough, it was deferred to a meeting of full council.

This took place on April 10 and saw Eastleigh Borough Council grant planning permission to lengthen the runway by 164m (538ft), after the application had been recommended for approval.

During the 19-hour long meeting, held online due to the Covid restrictions in place at the time, 22 councillors voted in favour, 13 voted against and one abstained.

A public inquiry?

Despite the approval, those who thought building could now start were disappointed.

The council had been asked by the government to delay the issuing of the Decision Notice to allow the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government to assess the case and decide whether or not to call in the application for a public inquiry.

The government department had previously advised that it had received several requests for the Secretary of State to consider calling in the application.

However, after not hearing back from the government, a decision notice was issued by the council in June.

This, the council says, came after the local authority notified the government of its intention to issue the decision by the end of May.

Daily Echo: Campaigners against the expansion of Southampton AirportCampaigners against the expansion of Southampton Airport

Calls for review

Soon after the decision was approved, campaigners submitted an application to the High Court requesting a judicial review.

By August 2021, Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO) in Southampton confirmed more than £60,000 had been raised to cover legal costs.

John Lauwerys, of campaign group GOESA (Members of Group Opposed to the Expansion of Southampton Airport Ltd), said the council's decision was flawed "both in the way it was taken and the reasons for doing so".

The group argue that:

  • The council breached residents’ expectations it would not grant permission until the Communities Secretary ruled on their request for a public inquiry.
  • Town and Country Planning Regulations 2017 were breached by a failure to assess the effects of potential greenhouse gas emissions following an extension.
  • The council was influenced by a campaign claiming the airport would have to close if permission were not granted.

The airport's operations director, Steve Szalay, said he was "hugely disappointed" with the call for legal action.

A setback and a win

A few months later, applications by Bournemouth Airport and GOESA to appeal against the plans were refused, giving the applicants seven days to appeal the decision.

But a spokesperson from GOESA confirmed the fight would go on.

Talking to the Echo in October, the spokesperson said: “GOESA has the opportunity to renew the application for a judicial review at an oral hearing, and it intends to do that.”

By December, the High Court's refusal had been overturned - much to the delight of campaigners who had been seeking “independent scrutiny” on the council's initial decision.

The review - when and where

The High Court hearing at London’s Royal Courts of Justice will begin tomorrow.

It is expected to last two days.

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