The UK government has approved London City airport’s plans to increase its annual passenger cap from 6.5 million to nine million.
This includes three extra flights in the first half hour of operations during the week, but no increase in the permitted number of annual flights or infrastructure.
The planning application also included a commitment that “only cleaner, quieter, next generation aircraft” would be allowed to fly in any extended operating periods.
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In the same submission, London City airport proposed extending its Saturday afternoon operating hours, but this was rejected.
Alison FitzGerald, London City airport chief executive, said: “While we welcome the approval to increase our passenger numbers, we are disappointed with the government’s decision to reject our proposal to fly from 12.30pm to 6.30pm on Saturday afternoons.
She added: “As the government has recognised in its decision, rejecting our request to extend our Saturday afternoon operating hours will slow down airlines bringing cleaner, quieter next generation aircraft to the airport.
“Local residents would have had the added benefit of these aircraft operating at the airport throughout the week, not just in the extended operating hours.”
The appeal decision published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Transport said: “Any aircraft movements in excess of six and up to nine movements between 0630 hours and 0659 hours on Mondays to Saturdays shall be restricted to the new generation aircraft, namely the Airbus A220-100; Airbus A220-300; Embraer E190-E2; Embraer E195-E2, and any other aircraft that meets each of the new generation aircraft noise standards.”
This is “to ensure that the scheduled aircraft movements in the extended operating periods are on new generation aircraft only”.
The mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, told the BBC she had concerns about the impact of more aircraft noise on residents, but welcomed the government’s acceptance that the Saturday cut-off would remain place.
She said: “I remain deeply concerned that our residents will be seriously harmed by the impact of further air-flight noise with today’s decision to allow an increase in flights in the early mornings throughout the rest of the week.
“We will be studying the decision notice carefully and considering all options as we remain concerned about the detrimental impacts on the health and quality of life of our residents.”