26th April 2009
Dear Councillor,
Living directly under the flight path in Leigh, we are extremely distressed about the plans to expand the airport with extension of the runway. The adverse & detrimental consequences this expansion will have on so many lives would make life in Leigh, and surrounding areas, intolerable. We have heard that ‘dirty tricks’ have been employed by people directly associated with and in favour of the airport which, if true, is totally unacceptable
2 million passengers, flights every 5 minutes; 30+ night flights, air & noise pollution increase, adding to already disrupted sleep, unable to enjoy our gardens, more flights the greater possibility of accidents occurring over heavily populated residential areas. We can tolerate airport use as it stands at the moment but any further degradation would make our lives a nightmare.
Then there will be a huge increase in road traffic, private & commercial, including 40-tonne articulated lorries, to and from the airport, on already severely congested local & national roads will bring the approach into Southend & surrounding routes to total gridlock for longer periods, worse than it is at present.
It pains us that a Conservative Council has given the go-ahead for such a horrifying scenario. The way SBC has bungled it’s handling of the public ‘consultation’ would be laughable were it’s consequences not so serious. Three deadline delays, hurriedly convened ‘surgeries’ without adequate notice to residents allowing adequate time to attend. Non-delivery of information leaflets to numerous households requiring a second delivery attempt; we finally received our copy of ‘Have Your Say’ propaganda leaflet a few days ago.
Labour’s commitment to drastically reduce CO2 emissions hardly equates to their encouragement of countrywide airport expansion. It was widely reported that the Conservative Party were against the expansion of Heathrow’s third runway so why encourage Southend airport expansion plans? In light of the recent Court’s announcement, in favour of a further 10-million additional passengers at Stanstead, I am fearful that residents’ objections will be ignored.
Not long ago Leigh won an award for ‘one of the best places to live in the UK’. Airport expansion enabling 2 million passenger usage & Stobart’s plans for freight night flights, at present almost unlimited with 915 permitted per month will make life in this area unbearable and a total nightmare.
You cannot underestimate the feeling of it being a ‘done-deal’. We feel the whole process has been railroaded through without due thought or care for the local environment. Therefore we would respectfully request that you ensure that this lunatic expansion & extension proposal will NOT come to fruition.
We would appreciate receipt of this letter & welcome your comments.
Mr A & Mrs D Davies
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Davies,
As chairman of Development Control Committee I am not able to express any view on the merits or demerits of the proposals which are out to public consultation as this might prejudice my being able to take part in the decision making process on any future planning application submitted by the owners of the airport.
I can assure you however that the Council has not taken any decision on the expansion of the airport or it’s future operation. A joint committe has been formed between Rochford District and Southend Borougth Councils to consider the future of the airport and the future scale of it’s operation. It is this that is out to consultation. All views expressed will be taken into account when the consultation period has been completed.
The airport occupies land both in Southend and Rochford council’s areas. Southend Borough Council being the freehold owner of the land on which it is situated.
Currently there is a lease to operate the airport between Regional Airports Ltd. and Southend Borough Council. If any attempt had been made to sell that lease by Regional Airports Ltd. the Borough Council would have been able to intervene. What actually happened was that Regional Airports Ltd was put up for sale by it’s former owners and acquired as a company By Eddie Stobart Ltd. The Borough Council has no right of veto or any power to stop that acquisition.
Since it is quite clear that the new owners will want to expand the size of the operation the joint committee was formed to find out what was likely to be involved and try to guide the development towards the needs of both the operator and the residents of the areas affected.
Any significant development will require a planning application which may need to be joint to both councils or to either one dependant on where the land involved actually resides. Hence the need for both councils to agree their stance and try to avoid acting in conflict. It is unrealistic to think that the future use will follow the pattern of the decline of the last two decades.
I can assure you that whatever development comes forward they will need to seek planning permission in the normal way and your rights of objection at that stage will not be affected by the result of the current consultation.
Regards,
Brian Kelly
Chairman
Development Control Committee
Tags: Cllr Brian Kelly, Denise Davies