Plans to lengthen the runway at Shoreham, the UK's oldest commercial airport, are to be put before the public.

If the runway is made longer it will be possible for the airport to become a centre for flights to Europe.

An alternative is to leave the runway as it is but to encourage more general aviation flights.

Both options were explained yesterday afternoon at a briefing by joint owners Brighton and Hove City Council and Worthing Borough Council.

The present runway, created after there had previously only been a grass strip, is 1,036m.

A longer one of 1,199m on a different alignment would permit both commercial and general aviation flights.

There have been several previous attempts to start commercial flights but none has succeeded.

A longer runway would enable more commercial aircraft to use Shoreham and could create up to 1,000 jobs, enabling the airport to fly to 13 cities - Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Belfast, Brussels, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and Paris.

However, the plans could attract major opposition from people living nearby.

If there was agreement to the idea, a full environmental impact study would be commissioned.

All issues including noise, ecology, environment and transport would have to be resolved before an application was made for planning permission, including the impact on the quality of life of the local community.

Brighton and Hove Labour city councillor Don Turner said: "We are actively seeking the public's views on the proposals. Their response will affect our decision making.

"We want to turn Shoreham airport around. It makes a very small annual profit at present but carries a large debt burden.

"If we encounter unexpected costs, or the financial climate worsens, the airport could face closure."

Coun Brian Oxley, Tory opposition leader on the city council, said any cash shortfall as a result of closure would be borne by council taxpayers.

He said: "Pouring money into a sinking ship would divert valuable funds away from other deserving projects.

"The worst outcome would be losing a key asset in the region. That way no one would benefit."

A public exhibition will be staged at the airport on November 28 and 29, from 10am to 5pm, and on November 30, from 10am to 2pm.

It moves to the Adur Civic Centre in Shoreham, between December 1 and 10 from 10am until 5pm.

Public meetings will be held at the Civic Centre on December 9 at 6.30pm and at Lancing Parish Hall on December 16 at 6.30pm.

Tuesday November 18, 2003