Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Bird, Nightingale and Orgee. Councillors Harford and Smart attended as alternates.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2016 as a correct record. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2016 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

Update briefing: relocation of Engine Testing Facility

The Committee received a presentation on the proposed engine testing facility at Cambridge Airport.

Members raised comments/questions as listed below. Answers were supplied, but as this was a pre-application presentation, none of the answers were to be regarded as binding and so are not included in the minutes.

1.        Questioned whether the facility would be let for use by third parties and asked whether third party use had been accounted for within the noise and air pollution modelling.

2.        Asked whether the modelling for wind direction was accurate. 

3.        Queried where engine testing would take place if the facility was unable to be used due to weather conditions and if the modelling accounted for use outside of the facility.

4.        Questioned whether use of the site would increase and whether there would be any limit on its usage.

5.        Questioned whether cost had been a parameter when assessing the possible locations for the testing facility.

6.        Asked whether hours of operation could be enforced through condition. 

7.        Queried whether the facility would be able to accommodate larger planes in the future.

8.        Asked how materials and equipment would be delivered to the site during the construction.

9.        Questioned what the maximum level of noise that would be generated by aircraft at the site. 

10.    Clarified whether the Boeing 747 aircraft was louder than the Boeing 777 aircraft and questioned what the exact noise levels generated by the respective aircraft were. 

11.    Requested clarification regarding the hours of operation.

12.    Clarified the relationship between the engine testing operation and the wing development operation.

13.    Questioned whether more aircraft would be brought to the facility to be tested if the application was approved.

14.    Requested an example of the average duration of an engine test.

15.    Noted that government advice stated that 57db was the level at which noise caused significant community annoyance and questioned how that was compatible with the noise levels of 72db stated in the presentation.