PLANS to expand Southampton Airport are to be scrutinised at a special meeting on Tuesday.

Civic chiefs in the city will come together on Tuesday evening to discuss the proposals to expand the airport’s runway by 164 metres and add 600 parking spaces to the long stay car park at the site.

A final decision on the plans will be made by Eastleigh Borough Council.

But councillors at Southampton City Council will now have a further look at the details of the planning application.

According to an official document published ahead of the meeting it is recommended that city councillors ask for further clarification on a number of aspects.

These include details on the impact the expansion would have on noise, local roads, trees and ecology.

An official report reads: "Further information is requested in relation to the benefits and dis-benefits and measures to mitigate against the impacts of the airport expansion.

"Without this additional information the council cannot be satisfied that this airport scheme maintains an appropriate balance between the benefits of aviation and its costs, particularly in relation to its contribution to climate change and noise."

The city council said it supports the "sustainable growth of Southampton Airport" to ensure it remains "a competitive and viable" regional airport within the South East.

But the reports also reads: "The proposed runway extension would facilitate a level of forecasted growth in air transport movements that would be at odds with the independent advice to government from the Committee on Climate Change on building a low-carbon economy and preparing for climate change.

"Furthermore, the forecasted amount and frequency of aircraft departing to the south and arriving from the south over Southampton, would have a predicted significant adverse noise effect. 

"The proposed mitigation measures/controls relating to forecasted carbon emissions and noise impact are not alone sufficient in order to address these concerns."

As previously reported, in November last year campaigners presented city councillors with a petition signed by 1,900 people asking Southampton councillors to oppose the expansion of the airport.

Southampton Airport had previously said there is a need for a longer runway and vowed to grow "sustainably and responsibly, sensitive to the needs of the local community". 

The airport expansion is expected to create 400 new jobs and  boost financial investment from £160m a year to £275m.

The special meeting of the Planning and Rights of Way Panel will take place at the civic centre at 6pm.