The Government has published its draft Airports National Policy Statement. In future applications for development must be in accordance with the policy contained in the Airports National Policy Statement.
The statement contains an appraisal of sustainability comprised of 12 topics, which represent key areas likely to be affected by additional airport capacity – these include the historic environment and landscape.
For the historic environment the statement aims ‘to conserve and where appropriate enhance heritage assets and the wider historic environment including buildings, structures, landscapes, townscapes and archaeological remains’.
The document is set up to consider the impact of a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport on which the public and Parliament are now being consulted. Once views from this consultation have been taken into account, a final Airports National Policy Statement and Appraisal of Sustainability will be laid in Parliament. There will then be the opportunity for a vote in the House of Commons.