Decision day for airport expansion

December 15th 2008 sees Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council's Planning Committee meet to decide on the runway expansion proposals by Birmingham International Airport. The proposal is to extend the runway by 400 metres to accommodate non-stop flights to China, India and the west coast of America.

The existing runway is too short to allow planes to reach such destinations without stopping to re-fuel. It has been estimated the lack of runway capacity means BIA, and the regional economy, loses millions in economic investment each year to Manchester Airport and the north-west.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2008/11/15/solihull-council-will-decide-birmingham-international-airport-runway-extension-on-december-15-97319-22262308/

The following images are from the planning application and show the proposals; http://www.solihull.gov.uk/planning/dc/ViewAppDetail.asp?Y=2008&R=22

EXTENSION OF MAIN RUNWAY AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING THE REALIGNMENT AND TUNNELLING OF A SECTION OF THE A45 COVENTRY ROAD; A NEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER; REVISIONS TO THE EXISTING FUEL FARM; A NEW EXIT TAXIWAY; THE TREATMENT OF OBSTACLES; AND THE DIVERSION OF SERVICES AND WATERCOURSES.