The planning enquiry into BRS's appeal over the rejection of its planning application by its local authority last year ended today. The airport wants its passenger cap of 10 mppa raised to 12 mppa with associated infrastructure enhancements.
The three planning inspectors from the national Planning Inspectorate who held the enquiry have been delegated by the previous secretary of state (Robert Jenrick) to determine the appeal themselves. The new secretary of state (Michael Gove) has not indicated that he will 'recover' the appeal to take the decision himself.
No timescale has been given by the inspectors as to when their decision will be announced. The local news media speculates that it will be around the end of this year. The lead inspector said today that this planning enquiry had been an unusually long one - 36 sitting days since 20 July although there were breaks for holidays and the inspectors only sat from Tuesday to Friday each week. The enquiry was streamed live on the Internet.