Nottingham East Midlands Airport (NEMA) has today announced its plans for its future development for the period up to 2030. UK aviation is set to grow over the next 20-30 years to meet the needs of the travelling public, of business and of the UK economy.

The Master Plan explains NEMA’s role, now and in the future in helping to achieve national, regional, local community and individual objectives.

In December 2003, the Government published its policy for UK airports in a White Paper entitled “The Future of Air Transport”.

The policy stated that air travel is essential to the UK economy and to the country’s continuing prosperity.

The Government expects operators of larger airports to draw up a Master Plan’ setting out how they intend to implement Government policy.

However, before the final Plan is published, a draft version is being made available for public consultation.

The final version of the Master Plan will be produced after consideration of all the views and comments received during the three month consultation period, and is expected to be published in the summer of 2006.

The Air Transport White Paper gives strong support for the continued growth of both passenger and cargo traffic at NEMA.

The Master Plan concentrates in detail on the period up to 2016, with a more general view of how it expects to accommodate the forecast growth from 2016 to 2030.

The White Paper forecasts that by 2030, NEMA could attract between 12-14 million passengers per annum and will be handling 2.5 million tonnes of freight a year.

Penny Coates, Managing Director NEMA said, “We are delighted that the Government recognised the importance of Nottingham East Midlands Airport in delivering future airport capacity in the region and the pivotal role the Airport will play in delivering economic regeneration in the East Midlands.

The Airport has come a long way since it opened in 1965. Today NEMA is not only recognised as an important economic asset to the East Midlands, but also - as the UK’s leading airport for all-cargo operations - a national asset.

Our vision is to develop an airport that makes the East Midlands feel proud. An airport that provides high quality jobs, contributes to the competitiveness of local businesses, promotes inward investment to the region, facilitates trade with the rest of the world and is responsive to local peoples’ desire to travel.

The purpose of the Master Plan is to explain how NEMA will deliver the Government’s objectives.

Our guiding principles are to grow the business profitably, to maximise the significant social and economic benefits the Airport brings to the region and to provide the investment necessary to mitigate the negative impact of its operations.

We very much hope that people will take the time to give us their views on these draft proposals over the next three months”.

Key Points of draft Master Plan 2006

By 2016 NEMA will:

—Double jobs on site to 14/15,000 in ten years (26,000 in 25 years)

—Double destinations on offer to 200

—Quadruple amount of freight handled to 1.2m tonnes a year

—Maintain all development within existing site - no second runway

—Invest over GBP50m in improved passenger/site services in first 5 years alone

—Double annual regional employment income to region to over GBP500m (up by 580% in 20 years)

—Underline its position as gateway to East Midlands for inbound investment

—Introduce/invest in stringent new controls on noise particularly at night/enhance mitigation package to those most affected

—Overall tightening of controls on all part of operation/commitment to public transparency

—Greatly increase contribution/support for community initiatives including public transport links

—Introduce range of new environmental initiatives including wood fuel heating for terminal.

Over the last 10 years we have invested more than GBP2m in environmental initiatives and monitoring, from emission control to waste management and surface water management

—Make a commitment to maintain night noise at 1996 levels up to 2016 despite a tenfold increase in cargo tonnage in the same period.

The Airport Master Plan will be reviewed every five years. The draft Master Plan is based on current best forecasts and subject to usual checks and balances of local planning and other controls. How much and exactly what is implemented in capital terms will depend on actual growth of business.
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