Thames estuary airport
Encyclopedia
There have been plans since 1943 to build a new airport for London
at various locations around the Thames Estuary
.
(Foulness
) had been selected for the third London airport (after Heathrow
and Gatwick
), and that planning would begin immediately. In due course the Maplin Development Act received royal assent in October 1973. In 1973 a Special Development Order was made under the Town and Country Planning Acts granting planning permission for the project, and the Maplin Development Authority was constituted and began its work. The project would have included not just a major airport, but a deep-water harbour suitable for the container ships then coming into use, a high-speed rail link together with the M12
and M13 motorway
s to London, and a new town for the accommodation of the thousands of workers who would be required.
The Maplin airport project was abandoned in July 1974. The project became one of the many casualties of the 1973/74 oil crisis
precipitated by the Yom Kippur War
, and was abandoned in favour of a cheaper plan to enlarge Stansted Airport; the requirement for a container ship harbour was to be discharged by the development of Felixstowe
.
on the Hoo Peninsula
in North Kent as the leading contender among potential sites for a new airport for London. The proposal was for up to four runways arranged in two east-west close parallel pairs, with a possible fifth runway on a different alignment, which might be used only at night and in particular weather conditions. In December 2003 the government decided against the Cliffe proposal on the grounds that the costs of a coastal site were too high, and there was a significant risk that the airport would not be well used.
Since 2008, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been leading scoping studies for a further airport in North Kent. Suggestions have included the development of a major International hub at Cliffe which would link in with the newly established HS1 line to Kings Cross St Pancras and Northern England.
The Cameron government is currently committed to a full Aviation Review and a scoping study was released in March 2011.
in the Thames estuary, north east of the Isle of Sheppey
. When the proposal was put forward again in the government's 2002 consultation, it was rejected on the grounds of insufficient information and prohibitive expense.
, Boris Johnson
, located a little further to the East towards the Shivering Sands area, north-east of Whitstable
. The deputy mayor, Kit Malthouse
, has supported a Thames estuary airport since before taking office. In November 2008 the mayor appointed Doug Oakervee (executive chair of Crossrail
) to lead the Greater London Authority's preliminary feasibility study which determined in October 2009 that there is "no logical constraint" to the plan.
The proposal has acquired the popular nickname of Boris Island, and is frequently referred to as such in the press.
is a proposal for a new approach to integrated infrastructure development in the UK that combines rail, freight logistics, aviation, energy and its transmission, flood protection and regional development in the Thames Estuary and connects this infrastructure to a trade and utilities spine that runs the length of the country.
The aviation component of the Thames Hub is for a four runway airport, built on a platform straddling the land and sea, on the Isle of Grain, capable of handling 150 million passengers per annum. It will be connected to the London by high speed rail and provide fast connections to the rest of the UK via an orbital rail route around the capital linking the Midlands and the North.
The site was selected for its proximity to London – at 55 kilometres from the centre, it can be reached in 30 minutes by high-speed rail. The proposal to build the airport on a platform, like those at Chek Lap Kok
and New Doha International Airport
would allow flights to take off and land over water, significantly reducing noise impacts and enabling the airport to operate 24 hours a day.
The airport will accommodate long-haul airline schedules and growing demand in the Asian market. Thus it will reassert London’s geographical advantage as the stop-off point between North America and Eurasia, which is being eroded by a combination of new long-range aircraft and the emergence of networks centred on a global hub, such as Dubai.
The Thames Hub proposal was developed by architects Foster + Partners, infrastructure consultants Halcrow
and economists Volterra
and launched at the Institution of Civil Engineers
in London on 2nd November 2011.
One option is to expand Manston Airport
. Manston, situalted in Thanet
, in north east Kent, is relatively close (15 miles) to the Port of Dover
and the Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal
and because of this proximity its supporters claim that it could become a hub for arrivals and departures between the UK and Europe and beyond. They also argue expansion would: a) reduce the amount of taxpayer support; b) result in less environmental costs; and c) help regenerate this relatively deprived area of Kent. However Manston is located 65 miles from Central London and the journey time from St Pancras
by existing high speed Javelin trains to the nearest rail station at Ramsgate is 1 hour 16 minutes. This journey time could be reduced to under 50 mins by upgrading the old railway line that makes up part of the HS1 route, Ramsgate to Ashford, into a proper High Speed line. In addition the flight path from its single runway is directly over Ramsgate
, a seaside resort of some 40,000 residents.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at various locations around the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
.
Maplin
In April 1971 the government announced that a site at the Maplin SandsMaplin Sands
The Maplin Sands are mudflats on the northern bank of the Thames estuary, off Foulness Island, near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, though they actually lie within the neighbouring borough of Rochford...
(Foulness
Foulness
Foulness is an island on the east coast of Essex in England, which is separated from the mainland by narrow creeks. The large island had a usually resident population of 212 people in the 2001 census, who live in the settlements of Churchend and Courtsend, at the north end of Foulness. The island...
) had been selected for the third London airport (after Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Gatwick
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
), and that planning would begin immediately. In due course the Maplin Development Act received royal assent in October 1973. In 1973 a Special Development Order was made under the Town and Country Planning Acts granting planning permission for the project, and the Maplin Development Authority was constituted and began its work. The project would have included not just a major airport, but a deep-water harbour suitable for the container ships then coming into use, a high-speed rail link together with the M12
M12 motorway
The M12 motorway was a planned motorway starting in north-east London and joining the A12 road in Essex. The 1960s scheme would have started at a junction with the M11 motorway and North Circular and ended near Brentwood, Chelmsford or at the proposed new Maplin Sands airport; the motorway was part...
and M13 motorway
M13 motorway
The M13 was a planned radial motorway from London to a proposed new airport located at Maplin Sands near Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Only preliminary planning was carried out for the motorway before the proposals for the airport were dropped in favour of expanding Stansted Airport.The route would have...
s to London, and a new town for the accommodation of the thousands of workers who would be required.
The Maplin airport project was abandoned in July 1974. The project became one of the many casualties of the 1973/74 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
precipitated by the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, and was abandoned in favour of a cheaper plan to enlarge Stansted Airport; the requirement for a container ship harbour was to be discharged by the development of Felixstowe
Port of Felixstowe
The Port of Felixstowe, in Felixstowe, Suffolk is the UK's busiest container port, dealing with 35% of the country's container cargo. It was developed following the abandonment of a project for a deep-water harbour at Maplin Sands. In 2005, it was ranked as the 28th busiest container port in the...
.
Cliffe
In 2002 the government identified a site at CliffeCliffe, Kent
Cliffe is a village on the Hoo peninsula in Kent, England, reached from the Medway Towns by a three-mile journey along the B2000. Situated upon a low chalk escarpment overlooking the Thames marshes, Cliffe offers the adventurous rambler views of Southend-on-Sea and London...
on the Hoo Peninsula
Hoo Peninsula
The Hoo Peninsula is a peninsula in England separating the estuaries of the rivers Thames and Medway. It is dominated by a line of sand and clay hills, surrounded by an extensive area of marshland composed of alluvial silt. The name Hoo is the Old English word for spur of land.-History:The Romans...
in North Kent as the leading contender among potential sites for a new airport for London. The proposal was for up to four runways arranged in two east-west close parallel pairs, with a possible fifth runway on a different alignment, which might be used only at night and in particular weather conditions. In December 2003 the government decided against the Cliffe proposal on the grounds that the costs of a coastal site were too high, and there was a significant risk that the airport would not be well used.
Since 2008, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been leading scoping studies for a further airport in North Kent. Suggestions have included the development of a major International hub at Cliffe which would link in with the newly established HS1 line to Kings Cross St Pancras and Northern England.
The Cameron government is currently committed to a full Aviation Review and a scoping study was released in March 2011.
Isle of Sheppey
The 'Marinair' proposal was put forward in the 1990s, in which an airport would be built on an offshore artificial islandArtificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is an island or archipelago that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means...
in the Thames estuary, north east of the Isle of Sheppey
Isle of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale...
. When the proposal was put forward again in the government's 2002 consultation, it was rejected on the grounds of insufficient information and prohibitive expense.
Shivering Sands
However the proposal was revived in 2008 by the Mayor of LondonMayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, located a little further to the East towards the Shivering Sands area, north-east of Whitstable
Whitstable
Whitstable is a seaside town in Northeast Kent, Southeast England. It is approximately north of the city of Canterbury and approximately west of the seaside town of Herne Bay. It is part of the City of Canterbury district and has a population of about 30,000.Whitstable is famous for its oysters,...
. The deputy mayor, Kit Malthouse
Kit Malthouse
Kit Malthouse is Deputy Mayor of London with responsibility for the Metropolitan Police. A politician, businessman and occasional writer, he is a Conservative and a member of the London Assembly representing the West Central constituency, which encompasses the City of Westminster, the London...
, has supported a Thames estuary airport since before taking office. In November 2008 the mayor appointed Doug Oakervee (executive chair of Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
) to lead the Greater London Authority's preliminary feasibility study which determined in October 2009 that there is "no logical constraint" to the plan.
The proposal has acquired the popular nickname of Boris Island, and is frequently referred to as such in the press.
Thames Hub
The Thames HubThames Hub
The Thames Hub is a proposal for a new approach to integrated infrastructure development that combines rail, freight logistics, aviation, renewable energy and its transmission, flood protection and regional development in the Thames Estuary and connects this infrastructure to a trade and utilities...
is a proposal for a new approach to integrated infrastructure development in the UK that combines rail, freight logistics, aviation, energy and its transmission, flood protection and regional development in the Thames Estuary and connects this infrastructure to a trade and utilities spine that runs the length of the country.
The aviation component of the Thames Hub is for a four runway airport, built on a platform straddling the land and sea, on the Isle of Grain, capable of handling 150 million passengers per annum. It will be connected to the London by high speed rail and provide fast connections to the rest of the UK via an orbital rail route around the capital linking the Midlands and the North.
The site was selected for its proximity to London – at 55 kilometres from the centre, it can be reached in 30 minutes by high-speed rail. The proposal to build the airport on a platform, like those at Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok was an island in the western waters of Hong Kong. Together with the smaller Lam Chau, it was leveled and merged via land reclamation into the platform for the current Hong Kong International Airport, which opened for commercial operations in 1998...
and New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
would allow flights to take off and land over water, significantly reducing noise impacts and enabling the airport to operate 24 hours a day.
The airport will accommodate long-haul airline schedules and growing demand in the Asian market. Thus it will reassert London’s geographical advantage as the stop-off point between North America and Eurasia, which is being eroded by a combination of new long-range aircraft and the emergence of networks centred on a global hub, such as Dubai.
The Thames Hub proposal was developed by architects Foster + Partners, infrastructure consultants Halcrow
Halcrow
Halcrow may refer to one of several people or other entities.People:*William Halcrow, English civil engineerCompanies:*Halcrow Group, the engineering consultancy...
and economists Volterra
Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.-History:...
and launched at the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in London on 2nd November 2011.
Advantages
Many advantages have been claimed for an airport in the Thames estuary, particularly as a replacement for Heathrow:- Flights would no longer arrive or depart over densely populated areas of London.
- Noise and air pollution would be much less of a nuisance, because the new airport would be in an unpopulated area.
- As many runways and terminals as necessary could be constructed, without destroying existing settlements, whereas Heathrow is hemmed in by residents.
- Flights could arrive and depart at all hours.
- A high speed rail link to London with a journey time of around 20 minutes would encourage more passengers to reach the airport using public transport. Objectors point to the possibility that a high speed rail link to Heathrow could also be built. However, such a link would require expensive tunnelling under London, and was costed in July 2008 at £4.5bn.
- A high speed rail link to the nearby High Speed 1 would make London's airport a more suitable hub for north-western continental Europe: closer, and easier to reach.
- Under the Shivering Sands proposal, it would be possible to reach the airport from terminals in both Kent and Essex, diminishing the amount of new traffic and congestion imposed on either county.
- Regeneration of the deprived Thames GatewayThames GatewayThe Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
. - Release of 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of prime land at Heathrow, close to the M4 and with excellent rail links, highly suitable for housing redevelopment.
- Traffic in west London would be greatly eased.
Disadvantages
A number of disadvantages to an airport in the Thames estuary have been pointed out:- A floodplain or artificial offshore island is a vulnerable place for major infrastructure in a world where sea levels may rise.
- It would require major investment in local infrastructure (roads, railways, schools, hospitals) in order to service the tens of thousands of employees at a major airport.
- There would be considerable upheaval involved in moving London's main airport to a new location, though other major cities have successfully moved their main airport, including ParisCharles de Gaulle International AirportParis-Charles de Gaulle Airport , also known as Roissy Airport , in the Paris area, is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle , leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic...
(1974), Munich (1992), Denver (1995), OsloGardermoenGardermoen may refer to:* Gardermoen, Norway* Oslo Airport, Gardermoen* Gardermoen Air Station* Gardermoen Line* Gardermoen Station...
(1998), Hong KongHong Kong International AirportHong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
(1998), Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur International AirportKuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
(1998), Athens (2001), Bangkok (2006). - There would be significant job losses at Heathrow, and knock-on impacts to the economy of west London.
- The construction costs of the airport alone would be large, estimated at £11.5bn for Cliffe, and £3.5bn more for an offshore island scheme.
- There would be large costs for constructing road and rail access to the airport. These were estimated at £1.8bn for Cliffe, including two rail connections to High Speed 1, a road tunnel under the Thames to Benfleet, largely to access the south east Essex labour market, and other road and rail connections.
- Proposals rely on using capacity on High Speed 1, which may be scarce.
- Building an artificial offshore island is time-consuming, adding 3 to 5 years to the construction time.
- The risk of bird strikeBird strikeA bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, avian ingestion , bird hit, or BASH —is a collision between an airborne animal and a man-made vehicle, especially aircraft...
is higher for coastal sites, although less so for off-shore sites. - The level of demand for an airport in the Thames estuary is uncertain, and may require government intervention to force airlines to use it.
- Building a major new airport to expand capacity may encourage more flights, and thereby increase emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
- The presence of the wreck of the SS Richard MontgomerySS Richard MontgomerySS Richard Montgomery was an American Liberty ship built during World War II, one of the 2,710 used to carry cargo during the war. The ship was wrecked off the Nore in the Thames Estuary in 1944 with around 1,400 tons of explosives on board, which continue to be a hazard to the area.-History:The...
, which has around 1,400 tons of explosives on board. A way to remove the wreck safely, present since 1944, has not yet been found. - It would require a radical upgrade to the current flight patterns which are based on 1970s patterns and the proximity to Dutch and Belgian airspace would cause knock on effects in other countries.
- The South East of England (SE) is already highly developed, with a population density reported (in 2011) as the the 3rd (or 6th, depending on the criteria you use) most dense in the World. Many areas of the SE already have 3 or 4 layers of audible Air Traffic over them.
Alternatives
Alternative, non-estuarial, options for providing additional airport capacity in Kent have been proposed.One option is to expand Manston Airport
Kent International Airport
Manston - Kent's International Airport is an airport located at Manston in the District of Thanet within Kent, England, northeast of Canterbury. It was formerly called RAF Manston , and was also known as London Manston Airport...
. Manston, situalted in Thanet
Thanet
Thanet is a local government district of Kent, England which was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, and came into being on 1 April 1974...
, in north east Kent, is relatively close (15 miles) to the Port of Dover
Port of Dover
The Port of Dover is the cross-channel port situated in Dover, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just away, and one of Europe's largest passenger ports, with 14 million travellers, 2.1 million lorries, 2.8 million cars and motorcycles and 86,000 coaches passing...
and the Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal
Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal
The Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal is a railway terminal built for the transport of road-going vehicles on specially constructed trains through the Channel Tunnel...
and because of this proximity its supporters claim that it could become a hub for arrivals and departures between the UK and Europe and beyond. They also argue expansion would: a) reduce the amount of taxpayer support; b) result in less environmental costs; and c) help regenerate this relatively deprived area of Kent. However Manston is located 65 miles from Central London and the journey time from St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
by existing high speed Javelin trains to the nearest rail station at Ramsgate is 1 hour 16 minutes. This journey time could be reduced to under 50 mins by upgrading the old railway line that makes up part of the HS1 route, Ramsgate to Ashford, into a proper High Speed line. In addition the flight path from its single runway is directly over Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
, a seaside resort of some 40,000 residents.
External links
- Thames Estuary Airport Feasibility Review October 2009
- Favorable reaction of London Mayor towards the Marinar concept. August 2008
- Advice to the Medway Council Cabinet on the Thames Estuary Airport Feasibility Review, January 2010
- In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Department of Transport has released its files on the Maplin Airport project.