Summary
Since Iteration 2 of the Masterplan was published, we have accepted Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG)’s proposed ‘clustering’ approach to master plan development, grouping proposals geographically.
Following a public engagement exercise, ACOG submitted Iteration 3 covering the Scottish cluster for assessment in 2025. This will be followed by the remaining clusters in due course.
Next steps
Prior to the submission of Iteration 3, ACOG is required to run a public engagement exercise to gather the views of individual stakeholders on the development of the master plan at a strategic level. This engagement exercise supplements the CAP 1616 consultations for each airspace change proposal.
More information about ACOG’s engagement can be found on acog.aero. ACOG also distribute a quarterly newsletter which you can sign up to here.
The masterplan so far
A high-level chronology of the master plan commission and development year on year can be found below:
2025
October
Iteration 3 of the Masterplan for Scotland has now been published by ACOG coincide with the launch of the constituent airspace change proposal public consultations which are available on the CAA’s Airspace change portal:
Since the Masterplan was accepted, the CAA has published CAP3156 Modernising the way we do airspace design: information relevant to the CAA autumn 2025 consultations concerning airspace design. This sets out a series of planned consultations this autumn which support our commitment to the Government to both establish the UK Airspace Design Service and consult on improvements to the effectiveness and proportionality of our process for changing airspace.
As part of these consultations, it is proposed that NERL will provide a residual coordination role for strategically important airspace change proposals outside the scope of the UKADS, but it is proposed that no masterplan will be required. This role will be known as the UK Airspace Coordination Service (UKACS). This means that the future of the masterplan set out in Iteration 3 Scotland and on the CAA’s website would be affected by these proposals.
For more information on these planned consultations please see our dedicated UKADS pages.
September
The CAA has accepted iteration 3 of the Masterplan for Scotland. This will be published at the same time as the constituent airspace change proposals launch their public consultations.
April
The CAA published an updated addendum to Iteration 2 acceptance decision that accepts:
- ACOG’s advice on the withdrawal of Exeter Airport from the masterplan
- ACOG’s advice on the withdrawal of Manston Airport from the masterplan
2024
June
The CAA published an updated version of the Airspace masterplan Assessment Criteria and Acceptance Framework (CAP 2156a & CAP 2156b). These were updated to explain that the CAA decision to formally accept a masterplan will only be taken once the relevant CAP1616 assessment has concluded.
January
The CAA published an updated addendum to the Iteration 2 acceptance decision (CAP 2312A Addendum) that accepts:
- ACOG’s advice on the withdrawal of Cardiff Airport from the masterplan.
2023
October
The CAA published an updated addendum to the Iteration 2 acceptance decision (CAP 2312A Addendum) that accepts:
- ACOG’s advice on the withdrawal of Aberdeen Airport from the masterplan.
2022
December
We published updated versions of CAP 2156a (Masterplan acceptance criteria) and CAP 2156b (Masterplan assessment framework).
October
The CAA published an addendum to the Iteration 2 acceptance decision (CAP 2312A Addendum) that accepts:
- ACOG’s proposed approach to managing interdependencies between airspace changes (the ‘cluster’ approach), and
- ACOG’s advice on integrating a new Farnborough airspace change proposal into the masterplan.
January
The co-sponsors accepted Iteration 2 of the masterplan and published an acceptance decision (CAP 2312A).
2021
December
ACOG submitted masterplan Iteration 2 of the Airspace Change Masterplan (CAP 2312B) to the co-sponsors for assessment.
August
CAA published the Acceptance Criteria (CAP 2156a) and the Assessment Framework (CAP 2156b) of the masterplan.
May
Co-sponsors wrote to NERL to extend the masterplan commission to cover the rest of the UK.
2019
August
NERL submitted masterplan Iteration 1.
July
Co-sponsors wrote to NERL to confirm the iterative approach and the contents of Iteration 1 of the masterplan; plans for future iterations; and how they will assess the first iteration.
2018
November
Co-sponsors commissioned NERL to draw together a coordinated implementation plan for airspace changes (or airspace change masterplan) in Southern England and, as part of this role, create ACOG that will develop it as per the NERL Air Traffic Services Licence Condition 10A.