Shoreham Airport - total lack of vision says Green on walkout
Tuesday, November 30 2004
Green Party Convenor Councillor Keith Taylor has walked out of the inaugral meeting of the Shoreham Airport Owning Authorities Board, accusing them of a total lack of vision.“The Chair of the eight man / one woman board Councillor Don Turner (Brighton and Hove City Council - Labour) admitted they had never considered any uses for the airport land which didn’t involve continued and increased use as an airport," said Keith Taylor.
"This flies in the face of locals' wishes and against Labour’s claims that it wants to combat climate change. Not only that, it’s potentially damaging and a wasted opportunity," he explained.
Held today, the first meeting saw councillors and officers from Brighton and Hove and Worthing agree to Terms of Reference - not tabled until the meeting itself - which identified the Boards key objective as being ‘take action on the recommendations of the Officers Working Group’.
500,000 passengers a year through here?
"As there is no intention whatsoever of considering alternatives to selling the airport for expansion, for me to be part of the group would be impossible," Councillor Taylor said.
"I had hoped to be able to influence the group into less damaging uses for the land, but this clearly was something they were not prepared to do. I do not believe the vision the authorities have for an airport serving 500,000 people is either practical, deliverable or desirable.
"The council’s own consultation, limited as it was, uncovered a huge opposition to airport expansion but they have not allowed themselves to be diverted from their pursuit of the new Brighton International Airport. Call it vanity, call it myopia, or even stupidity, I can’t be sure.
"For any commercial investor to take on the airport that’s trading at break-even they will need to be assured they will be allowed to build a new runway – I foresee mounting opposition to that."
"Standing aside from the Owners Board will allow me to work closer to anti-expansion campaigners, which is where both my head and my heart tell me I belong," he added.
Notes to editors:
Previous releases06/09/2004
On hearing the news Shoreham Airport is to be marketed with expansion in mind, Cllr Keith Taylor, Convenor of Brighton & Hove’s Green Councillors said;
“The joint councils own consultation exercise (Nov 03 to Jan 04) into what locals thought of airport expansion has been totally ignored. Even though 79% of people opposed lengthening the runway to accommodate larger and more frequent planes, it is that possibility which tops of the council’s so called ‘investment opportunities’
Locals joined with visitors in their concern over the impacts of noise, pollution and the effect of the extra 500,000 travellers projected to use the airport. The cost projections of £25/£30m allow for no extra traffic or rail infrastructure developments.
The question that should have been asked is what do people want to happen to the airport, but both Brighton & Hove and Worthing councils have dodged the issue, and instead said ‘are there companies out there who’ll take a risk to make money by enlarging this airport, despite what locals want’ ” ends….
15 February 2004
AIRPORT EXPANSION PLANS UNDER MEP SPOTLIGHT
Dr CAROLINE LUCAS, Green MEP for South East England will be at a public meeting in Lancing on Wednesday Feb 18 to hear residents concerns over plans to expand Shoreham Airport, the oldest airport in the country.
Proposals from consultants working for Brighton & Hove and Worthing District Councils have identified plans which would see ½million passengers per annum by 2008, and ¾million passengers by 2018.
The cash-strapped councils say the airport is £3.6m in debt, and developing it to take mid-size jets could provide jobs and economic salvation at the same time.
However the recent consultation carried out by the two councils revealed massive opposition to the proposals by people concerned over noise, pollution, traffic generation and disruption in the proposed National Park.
Dr Lucas said
“I’m very pleased to be able to come to Lancing to learn more about the plans to expand Shoreham Airport. These proposals will have a serious impact on a large area of Sussex and come at a time when the aviation industry as a whole is growing at an unsustainable rate.
“Aviation is not only a serious environmental threat, particularly in the context of climate change, but also its predicted growth is based on a flawed economic argument”.
“Governments, both local and national need to realise that airport growth such as the Shoreham proposal are damaging to the local and national environment – and they must take a more responsible view”.
“The contribution that local communities make in campaigning against expansions like this is immense, and it’s important that people understand how effective they can be as an organised group”.
Caroline will be joined on the platform by JOHN STEWART, who is Chair of Airport Watch, an umbrella group of campaigners opposed to airport expansions with a wealth of experience in effective campaigning, and Brighton Councillor KEITH TAYLOR, who is a member of the Shoreham Airport Management Committee. ENDS
[ENDS]
