Airport Does Not Need Permission to Open 24 Hours

Inverness Airport could open to flights 24 hours a day without seeking permission from Highland Council, it emerged yesterday.

The council’s planning, environment and development committee was told that independent legal advice confirmed that Highlands and Islands Airports were not obliged to seek planning permission for the move.

But last night airport managers insisted there are no immediate plans to open the Dalcross terminal during the night.

Hial spokesman Nat Anderson said the company jointly sought legal advice with the council to clarify the planning position on airport opening hours.

He added: “Both parties were simply seeking to agree what the procedure would be if the need arose to extend the airport’s opening hours in the future.

“While there are no plans to do so at present, we have agreed that the existing arrangements would continue.

“Clearly, any such move would have to be justified by real market demand or business need.

“On this basis, it’s good that we have the flexibility to do so if and when required.”

Inverness Airport was established as a RAF base during World War II and it opened for civil operations in 1947.

In a paper by acting director of planning and development Richard Hartland, councillors were told: “The use of the land as an airport was thus already established when comprehensive planning control was introduced on July 1, 1948.

“Consequently, no planning permission was required either for the aviation use or for the existing buildings.”

He added that new developments at the airport would need planning permission, but legal expert Professor Jeremy Rowan Robinson decided that 24-hour opening does not constitute “new development”.

The airport has extended its opening hours on numerous occasions to meet the commercial needs of operators, and in 2006 there were 158 flights outside the opening hours.

It is currently open from 6.45am to 10pm on weekdays, from 6.45am to 7.15pm on Saturdays, and from 7.45am to 10pm on Sundays.

At the committee meeting yesterday, some concern was raised about noise levels but councillors broadly welcomed a 24-hour opening.

In 2005, Aberdeen councillors voted to lift flying restrictions at the city airport, despite concerns from residents living below the flight path.

And within months its value to the Scottish economy was put at half-a-billion pounds, after successfully attracting new routes.

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