By Matthew Legg Business editor

Last updated at 17:52, Monday, 31 March 2008

PLANS to transform Carlisle Airport into a passenger and freight hub look set to finally go ahead after councillors gave initial approval.

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The city council ruled it was ‘minded to approve’ the £35m plan by Stobart Air on Friday, March 28.

But the backing is only provisional and the council will meet again next Friday to hammer out more than 50 conditions it wants the company to adhere to before it gives full consent.

The clock is now ticking on the plan, with Stobart Air boss Andrew Tinkler demanding a decision is made by next Friday, warning he will drop the plan if it isn’t.

The proposal would see a new runway, passenger terminal, air traffic control centres hangars, warehousing and offices built at the site.

The new runway would allow scheduled flights to London and other destinations.

Mr Tinkler would also move his Eddie Stobart haulage operation and WA Developments engineering firm to the site.

If the council backs the proposal next week, it will go before the Government Office North West who will decide whether the city council should be allowed to make the decision or whether a public enquiry should be held.

Protesters have vowed to fight on against the plan, saying it would endanger lives in nearby Irthington, create extra noise, traffic and pollution and would disturb wildlife habitats.

Councillors took the decision after saying they had not been given enough time to study an additional 50 pages of information they were given at yesterday’s meeting.

Mr Tinkler said he understood why the decision was partly deferred and that he was satisfied with the outcome.

He added: “At the moment I am really pleased the council minded to approve. Now I’ve got to go through the conditions and see if I can meet them – if they want a gold runway it’s not going to work.

“We have to wait another seven days and I’m going to put pressure on to make sure the decision is taken next week. If it isn’t, I will drop it (the proposal). There is no plan B.”

Mr Tinkler reiterated his plans to take his Eddie Stobart logistics empire – and its jobs – out of Cumbria if the development was not allowed to go ahead.

During a highly-charged meeting, the committee heard objections from environmental groups and an Irthington residents’ forum.

Proceedings were halted for 20 minutes while committee members were allowed to read through extra information presented to the council minutes before the meeting.

Alan Eales, head of planning and housing for Carlisle City Council, talked committee members through the plan.

He described the application as hugely significant for Carlisle and north Cumbria.

He said that an almost equal number of letters of support for the development had been sent to the council as letters of objection – 105 to 111 respectively. Objectors were then given three minutes each to outline their objections to the idea, airport director Richard Gordon then presented the case for Stobart Air.

He warned that Carlisle would not only lose an airport, but also its most successful business – Eddie Stobart – if the council blocked the plan.

Proposing the council were ‘minded to approve’ Councillor David Morton said the decision was so huge the council was “damned if we do and damned if we don’t”.

Referring to Mr Gordon’s warning that Eddie Stobart would leave the county if the airport did not happen, Mr Morton added: “(He) really was holding a pistol to our heads.”

He went on: “People have genuine concerns but on balance I am going to move that this committee is minded to approve the application.”

Councillor June Martlew seconded the motion.

The development control committee will meet to discuss the plan further at the Civic Centre, Carlisle, next Friday at 10am.

First published at 09:18, Saturday, 29 March 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk