Surrey is located between Heathrow and Gatwick airports, which are two of the world's busiest international airports. Surrey also has a number of small airfields. Many Surrey residents are employed in jobs linked to the airports and international accessibility is very important for Surrey's economy and prosperity.
However, proximity to airports can lead to negative environmental conditions, such as traffic congestion and pollution and aircraft noise, which affect the health and wellbeing of residents.
There is a need to engage proactively on future airport capacity to ensure impacts within the county are considered and addressed. Our primary focus continues to be on the need for investment in infrastructure to precede any development as well as effective mitigation of the detrimental effects of expansion on Surrey residents and local businesses. We will work with Government, local authorities, the airports and others to address these issues and seek to ensure that all necessary measures are fully funded.
Page contents
- Aviation policy and planning processes
- Flight paths and noise
- Airport Consultative Committees
- Heathrow Airport
- Gatwick Airport
- Fairoaks Airport
- Dunsfold
- Redhill Aerodrome
- Biggin Hill Airport
- Farnborough Airport
- Airspace Modernisation Strategy
Aviation policy and planning processes
The Department for Transport is responsible for setting national policies and long-term plans for aviation.
Generally, the National Infrastructure Directorate of the Planning Inspectorate is responsible for determining planning applications for the expansion of large airports.
The relevant Local Planning Authority is responsible for determining planning applications for smaller airports (see Fairoaks and others below).
Flight paths and noise
A range of bodies are involved in determining and operating flight paths, including the Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Services (NATS), local Air Traffic Control and Department for Transport and the airlines.
The government sets controls on noise at major airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick, including flight paths, known as Noise Preferential Routes (NPR), night flight restrictions and operational procedures (certain ways planes must be flown). The airports and airlines are responsible for adhering to these conditions.
The regulatory background for managing aircraft noise is international; set by the International Civil Aviation Organization which requires countries to take 'a balanced approach'. This involves four pillars including using new technology to make planes quieter, zoning development which is allowed near airports, setting noise preferential routes and imposing restrictions such as noise quotas.
Airport Consultative Committees
Surrey County Council represents residents at Airport Consultative Committees for Heathrow and Gatwick. These are advisory bodies, required by government, which provide a discussion forum for matters concerning the development or operation of the airport and any airport activities which might impact on airport users and on those living and working in areas affected by the airport's operation. For Heathrow this is the Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow (CISHA) and for Gatwick it is the Gatwick Consultative Committee (GATCOM).
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow is to the north of Surrey, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. In 2019, 80.9 million passengers travelled through Heathrow.
The county council has representatives on the Heathrow Sustainable Economic Growth Task Force, Noise and Airspace Community Forum, and the Heathrow Area Transport Forum. The county council is also part of the Heathrow Strategic Planning Group (HSPG), a collaboration of the local authorities surrounding Heathrow Airport. The group works constructively with, but independently of Heathrow Airport Limited, on transport and economic initiatives and in support of sustainable development across the sub-region.
Government policy supports a third runway at Heathrow; however, the airport's expansion plans are currently paused. Surrey County Council's primary focus continues to be on the need for investment in infrastructure, most importantly - as identified by the Airports Commission – improved rail access from the south.
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick is to the south of Surrey, in the borough of Crawley, in West Sussex. In 2019, Gatwick Airport served over 46 million passengers a year.
In 2023 Gatwick Airport Limited submitted an application to bring the northern (standby/maintenance) runway into routine use to accommodate 75.6 million passengers per annum by 2038. Surrey County Council has worked closely with the other impacted local authorities during the examination of this Northern Runway Project by the Planning Inspectorate.
Information on the Gatwick Northern Runway Project is available on our Nationally significant infrastructure page.
Fairoaks Airport
Fairoaks Airport is a general aviation airport to the north of Woking in the borough of Surrey Heath. The airport accommodates small business aircraft, helicopters and flying schools and is also home to a number of businesses. Fixed wing aircraft movements are limited to 120,000 per annum. There are no restrictions on the number of helicopter movements.
More information on the Fairoaks Airport Consultative Committee is available on their website.
Dunsfold
Dunsfold Park is a business park and aerodrome on the outskirts of Cranleigh in the borough of Waverley. As well as being a private airfield used for a range of aviation activities, it is also home to a range of local businesses.
The site has planning permission for 1800 homes including on-site education, retail, leisure and recreation provision as well as an expansion of the business park.
Redhill Aerodrome
Redhill Aerodrome is a general aviation airfield to the south east of Redhill in the borough of Reigate and Banstead. It is used for a range of commercial aviation activities including helicopter and fixed wing charter services and flying schools.
More information on the Redhill Aerodrome Consultative Committee is available on their website.
Biggin Hill Airport
Biggin Hill Airport is a general aviation airfield in the London Borough of Bromley with a focus on business aviation and training flights. The airport has a limit of 125,000 aircraft movements per annum.
More information on the Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee is available on their website.
Farnborough Airport
Farnborough Airport is in the borough of Rushmoor in Hampshire. Techniques d'Avant Garde (TAG) Farnborough Airport Limited own and operate Farnborough Airport, which is a business aviation airport. In October 2000, Rushmoor Borough Council granted planning permission for the continuation of flying from Farnborough, setting a limit of 28,000 aircraft movements per annum. An increase to 50,000 movements per annum was granted on appeal by the Secretary of State in 2019. In September 2023, the airport submitted a planning application to Rushmoor Borough Council to increase the number of flights to 70,000 flights per year.
More information on the Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee is available on their website.
Airspace Modernisation Strategy
The UK's airspace has not changed significantly since the 1950s and the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) believe that airspace modernisation is now needed. A programme of work to modernise and redesign UK airspace is now underway. The aim of the strategy is to make airspace more efficient, to improve punctuality, to reduce CO2 emissions, to reduce noise and ensure there is capacity.
The strategy will require UK airports to modernise their airspace through a coordinated programme and Surrey County Council will engage with the airports that impact on Surrey as they undertake this process.
