The Client, Gulfstream Aerospace, which designs, develops and manufactures business jet aircrafts sought to develop a new purpose built maintenance, servicing and overhaul (MRO) hangar at Farnborough Airport. This development was not considered statutory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development but did require a substantial amount of environmental information to be submitted with the full planning application.
Scope of Works
Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants Ltd were appointed to deliver the following specialist discipline assessments of the construction and operation of the proposed MRO hangar, with associated technical input to the EIA Screening letter:
- Noise including planning, construction and operational phase assessments.
- Air Quality including emissions assessment on ecological habitats.
- Ecology including site surveys and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).
Outcomes / Client Benefit
The Client gained planning permission within an expedited timeframe of 9 weeks from submission to committee date which meant no technical issues which couldn’t be dealt with using planning conditions. Delta-Simons negotiated for off-site biodiversity enhancements to compensate for the loss of acidic grassland habitat as the site formed part of a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. Delta-Simons did this prior, during and post planning decision to ensure the Client was in control and gained a full understanding of the specific issues.
Delta-Simons took an innovative approach to Air Quality issues on this Site as the increase of emissions from Aircraft could be accounted for through the airports already approved increases in emissions and therefore reporting no increase in air traffic over the approved amount led to zero emission mitigation measures for our Client. This same innovative approach was used while preparing a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).
In terms of Noise, Delta-Simons negotiated alongside the project team an alternative approach to noise management by preparing a framework Noise Management Plan (NMP) for planning so that the planning authority could be comfortable granting permission prior to seeing the operational detailed NMP resulting in a time reduction for the programme and not hindering the anticipated start on site.
