Re the expansion plan application to be heard on Monday week (10th February), there is certainly no guarantee that the elected councillors will think the same way as their planning officers. Could still finish up at the Planning Inspectorate if the council rejects the application and the airport appeals. It looks as though the secretary of state will have an involvement anyway because part of the application involves taking some Green Belt which apparently needs the sec of state's approval. Part of the airport site is already within a Green Belt Inset.