East Midlands Airport seeks views on its Sustainable Development Plan
East Midlands Airport has unveiled its approach towards its future operations and growth in the coming years and is asking for stakeholder and public feedback on its proposals.
The airport’s draft Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) outlines how it intends to continue operating sustainably and minimising its environmental impact.
The airport’s last SDP was published ten years ago and much has changed since then - from Brexit and Covid and innovations in the global aviation sector to more local changes such as the establishment of the East Midlands Combined County Council and the East Midlands Freeport, of which the airport is the principal port.
At East Midlands Airport, both DHL and UPS have invested significantly in expanding and modernising their hubs, the East Midlands Gateway site with its rail interchange has opened, and the airport’s parent company Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has continued to invest in EMA’s infrastructure to upgrade facilities. The airport has ambitions to increase its passenger routes including inbound flights to the UK from Europe, as well as growing its cargo operation to consolidate and strengthen its position as the UK’s foremost global gateway for express freight.
The airport’s ground operations have been certified as carbon neutral since 2012. This has been achieved by buying renewable electricity, using electric vehicles on the airfield and offsetting any further carbon emissions. Its SDP aims to build on this to help meet Manchester Airport Group’s target for its airports – Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands – to be net zero by 2038.
Among the commitments in the draft plan is to establish a Sustainable Transport Fund. While the airport has funded transport schemes in the past, including bus services and cycle routes, this establishes an ongoing commitment to help fund alternative ways to reach the airport. The plan also outlines how the airport intends to maintain strong links and work constructively with local communities to be a good neighbour, minimise impact through its Noise Action Plan, create quality employment opportunities and work with partners to support a wide range of economic development and investment programmes across the East Midlands.
East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said: “As East Midlands Airport enters its 60th year of operation, it’s clear that there has been a constant drive throughout our history to look forward and evolve.
“It’s important that we do so in a responsible way, and our draft Sustainable Development Plan sets out how we intend to do that over the coming decades. It outlines how we propose to meet the challenges and opportunities we face, in ways that consider and mitigate how those decisions impact our immediate neighbours, the region we serve and the wider world.
“We take our responsibilities to our customers, partners and communities very seriously. I believe this draft SDP sets us in the right direction to operate and grow sustainably and manage and reduce our impact on the environment, so that the airport can continue to provide effortless travel and power seamless trade 60 years from now.”
The full plan and a summary are available to view here: https://www.eastmidlandsairport.com/about-us/development-plan/ including details on how to respond to the public consultation, which is open until Friday 16 May.