Overview

This bill amends the Planning Act 2008 to require Parliamentary approval for proposals to build new major airports or add runways to existing ones. This means that such projects cannot proceed without explicit approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Description

The bill makes two key changes to the Planning Act 2008:

• National Policy Statements: It mandates that any national policy statement relating to the construction of a new major airport or additional runway at an existing major airport must receive approval from both Houses of Parliament before the Secretary of State can designate it.
• Development Consent Orders: It stipulates that any development consent order for building a new major airport or adding a runway to an existing one requires approval from both Houses of Parliament before it can take effect. A "major airport" is defined as per section 23(2) of the Planning Act 2008 (this definition is not included in the provided text).

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any changes to government spending. However, requiring Parliamentary approval for large-scale airport projects could indirectly affect government spending by delaying or preventing projects with associated funding, or potentially increasing costs due to procedural delays and increased scrutiny.

Groups Affected

• Airport Operators: Face significant delays and uncertainty in expansion plans, potentially impacting profitability and future investments.
• Airlines: Expansion delays could limit capacity, affecting flight schedules, prices, and possibly route availability.
• Government Departments (e.g., Department for Transport): Will be subject to increased parliamentary scrutiny and potential delays in implementing infrastructure projects.
• Local Communities: Will experience delays in seeing the potential benefits (or negative consequences) of airport expansion plans.
• Environmental Groups: Will gain a stronger voice in influencing the decision-making process concerning airport expansion projects.

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