MP Kwasi Kwarteng’s Heathrow report suggests Stanwell runway – in his own constituency
Date added: 12 July, 2012
The lives of thousands of residents’ would be blighted if the Spelthorne MP’s plan to demolish parts of Stanwell to build a 4th runway at Heathrow go ahead, say those living under the threat of airport expansion. The report, co-written by MP Kwasi Kwarteng, advocates two more runways for Heathrow Airport, one on the traditional site of Sipson, to the north, and the other in his own constituency to the south. This has led to opponents labelling the proposals “political suicide”. Geraldine Nicholson is chairman of the No Third Runway Action Group explained that residents in Spelthorne could expect blighted lives, broken down communities and death to the soul of their towns, if the plans were taken seriously. Like Sipson, which has suffered from years of blight, and dismantling of the community, from threats of a 3rd runway. It is astonishing for an MP to want to ruin a large part of his own constituency.
THOUSANDS of residents’ lives will be blighted if the Spelthorne MP’s plan to demolish parts of Stanwell to build a fourth runway at Heathrow go ahead, say those living under the threat of airport expansion.
The report ‘Policy Bites: Seven Shots in the Arm of Britain’, co-written by MP Kwasi Kwarteng, advocates two more runways for Heathrow Airport, one on the traditional site of Sipson, to the north, and the other in his own constituency to the south.
The plan to build a runway in Stanwell, which has a population of around 10,000, has led to opponents labelling the proposals “political suicide”.
Geraldine Nicholson is chairman of the No Third Runway Action Group and is one of the lead campaigners against expansion plans.
She explained what residents in Spelthorne could expect if Mr Kwarteng’s plan for a fourth runway went ahead.
Mrs Nicholson said: “The failed plans to build a third runway totally destroyed Sipson and residents of Spelthorne will have their lives blighted and communities will be broken up if this goes further.
“When BAA brought out its bond, to buy homes in the town to pave the way for its demolition, it killed the town and left those in neighbouring Harmondsworth and Harlington suffering 10 years of blight.
“This is what the people of Spelthorne will have to look forward to. I think they call that political suicide.”
The report was published by The Free Enterprise Group of Conservative MPs, also including Esher and Walton MP Dominic Raab.
It suggested planning permission should be granted for two additional runways at Heathrow so it can become a “truly world class hub” with runways to the north of the airport by the M4 or to the south in “the villages of Bedfont and Stanwell”.
The fourth runway, the report continued, would “incorporate Ashford Football Club”.
Gareth Coates, general secretary of Ashford Town FC, said: “We have written to Mr Kwarteng saying we were surprised and to ask for an explanation.
“I don’t feel an MP should write a report advocating the demolition of a great portion of his seat. It is astonishing that we have been earmarked as a potential runway.
“An MP should be representing his constituents and I fail to see how relocating 10,000 residents plus the club and demolishing their homes is in any of their interests.”
The report has put Spelthorne Borough Council, which declined to comment on the matter without first speaking to Mr Kwarteng, in something of a quandary as it publicly supports the demolition of Sipson to build a third runway – and the arguments for a third runway are the same as for a fourth.
John Stewart, chairman of HACAN – Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise – said: “If Spelthorne, which has openly backed the third runway, now comes out against a fourth runway, it becomes the ‘NIMBY’ council of England.”
Mr Kwarteng was unavailable for comment. (Too cowardly – people are speculating?).
This gets dottier by the day. The group of free enterprise advocate Tory MPs, called the Free Enterprise Group, is to publish a new report, which calls for …. wait for it …. not only a 3rd Heathrow runway, but also a 4th. Some members of the Free Enterprise Group are close to George Osborne, with Sajid Javid MP one of his ministerial aides. The Sunday Telegraph says the private sector has suggested that it would finance a third runway. The Free Enterprise Group’s paper suggests a 3rd runway could be built to the south and west of the airport on the town of Bedfont and Stanwell, a town with a population of 12,000. It is striking that many of the Tory MPs proposing this have constituencies near here. One of their members, Kwasi Kwarteng, MP for Spelthorne, was good enough to comment that “it was vital that residents were compensated for the loss of their homes” and “Even if you gave every resident £500,000 it would still be cheaper than Boris Island.” Meanwhile, Heathrow continues to use its valuable slots for flights to leisure destinations.
