Open letter to the people of Wandsworth, from the people of Gatwick – “Not in My Backyard” should be borough motto
Wandsworth Borough Council recently voted unanimously in favour of backing a 2nd Gatwick runway, and opposing a runway at Heathrow. In this blatant nimbyism, the Council has shown no regard for the well-being of the people living near Gatwick – in attempting to pass on the noise (and other) misery that a new runway would bring anywhere. An open letter from the people of Gatwick to the people of Wandsworth – not mincing its words – sets out why the Council decision is irresponsible. Wandsworth will soon be holding a public meeting, to be addressed by Gatwick senior management – who will be pushing their runway plans. But the Gatwick staff have not bothered to find time to speak to local Gatwick residents, refusing to attend half a dozen meetings recently. The letter says: “Wandsworth, NIMBY capital of Europe. Nowhere else in Europe do the citizens vote unanimously to bring misery to their neighbours. “Not in My Backyard” should be inscribed as your Borough motto.” And it concludes: “But, sorry, we forgot: your council has no concern for the next generation. So long as you don’t get any more aircraft over Putney the next generation can get stuffed.”
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An open letter to the people of Wandsworth from the people of Gatwick
3.11.2014 (GACC)
Thank you. Thank you for sending us the noisy aircraft which keep you awake at night. Thank you for sending us the planes that fill the sky during the day. So kind!
Your Council has voted unanimously to support a second runway at Gatwick. So kind! Your Council is organising two public meetings, one of which is to be addressed by the senior management of Gatwick who will tell you what a splendid airport Gatwick is.
You are lucky. Gatwick can’t find time to speak to local residents – refused to attend half a dozen meetings recently.
You apparently don’t care about us. You don’t worry about the 50,000 people around Gatwick who will be affected by aircraft noise from a new runway. Bugger them you say, so long as we don’t get the planes. So kind!
You don’t care about the Sussex countryside to be destroyed by the huge number of new houses for the Gatwick expansion. Never seen a green field? We will show you one sometime!
You don’t care about the damage to the Gatwick Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You don’t care about the historic villages whose character will be ruined and whose houses devalued by new Gatwick flight paths. So long as you don’t get more aircraft over Battersea Park, you couldn’t care less.
You don’t care that eighteen listed buildings would be demolished by a new Gatwick runway. So long as no more planes come over Putney, to hell with the heritage!
Welcome to Wandsworth, NIMBY capital of Europe. Nowhere else in Europe do the citizens vote unanimously to bring misery to their neighbours. Not in My Backyard should be inscribed as your Borough motto.
If you want to save your souls, try expressing support for the RSPB, WWF, Friends of the Earth, HACAN and the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign who all campaign for no new runway. Not at Heathrow. Not at Gatwick.
Why? Because the number of passengers per plane is increasing. And because if we
wish to take climate change seriously a new runway is just plane irresponsible.
But, sorry, we forgot: your council has no concern for the next generation. So long as you don’t get any more aircraft over Putney the next generation can get stuffed.
GACC. 3 November 2014
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City Diary: Putney house prices the ‘business case’ for Gatwick growth
4.11.2014 (Telegraph)
Wandsworth Council has been accused of being the “nimby capital of Europe”, after it voted against a new runway at nearby Heathrow.
By Harriet Dennys, City Diary Editor
Some high-flying mischief-making as the two-horse race between Gatwick and Heathrow to build Britain’s next runway enters the final furlong.
Conservation campaigners tell Diary that Wandsworth Council in west London is “the Nimby [not in my backyard] capital of Europe”, after it recently voted to block expansion at nearby Heathrow in a unanimous show of hands.
“You don’t care about the damage to the historic villages whose character will be ruined by the new Gatwick flight paths,” says the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign pressure group. “So long as you don’t get any more aircraft over Putney, the next generation can get stuffed.”
Over to Wandsworth Council, which defends its “cross-party” decision to support expansion at Gatwick because it will “generate valuable new jobs and growth for south London”, and “trigger long-term investment in our region’s rail network”. “One of our main rail stations, Clapham Junction, goes direct to Gatwick,” says a source.
Next Thursday, Gatwick’s finance chief, Nick Dunn, will present his business case for a second runway to Wandsworth locals at a public meeting organised by Putney MP Justine Greening, the former transport secretary. It seems he will be preaching to the converted.
Earlier:
City Spy: Gatwick bosses’ ‘snub’ upsets expansion foes
Local opponents claim Gatwick bosses are turning a deaf ear to their interests
31 October 2014 (Evening Standard)
Gatwick Airport’s campaign for a new, second runway — instead of Heathrow getting a third — is going down badly with local opponents of the West Sussex airport’s expansion.
They claim Gatwick bosses are turning a deaf ear to their interests while spending a small fortune on schmoozing the great and the good in the capital.
Opponents say the airport’s representatives have been notable by their absence at a series of local community meetings whereas the MPs of such nearby constituencies as Reigate and Mole Valley — Crispin Blunt and Sir Paul Beresford — have attended.
Yet Gatwick was happy to sponsor political blogger Guido Fawkes’ 10th birthday party last week at the Institute of Directors in London, when the venue was bathed in Gatwick-branded turquoise lighting.
Big cheeses from London have also been asked to a fancy Christmas drinks at the Victoria & Albert Museum on December 1, but local councillors from the Gatwick area do not appear to have got their invitations.
And in what could be an awkward snag, Gatwick’s bash clashes with Heathrow’s festive drinks party. Whoops!
A Gatwick spokesman said: “We regularly engage with the local community, and have met with over 30 local groups and representatives over the past three months alone.
Invitations for our December event have been sent to more than 50 local representatives including MPs and councillors from local county, district and parish councils.”
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Classic council nimbyism: Wandsworth Council backs Gatwick expansion – anything to avoid more Heathrow noise misery
Wandsworth Council has been a vociferous opponent of expansion at Heathrow, because its residents are badly affected by Heathrow aircraft noise. But now a motion has been voted on – unanimously – by the full Wandsworth Council, backing a new runway at Gatwick. This is a stunning example of Council nimbyism, and irresponsible self interest. Gatwick has spent a lot of money in lobbying west London councils, and this has paid off in Wandsworth. The Council rightly praises itself on its battle against Heathrow, expansion which “would deliver a devastating blow to hundreds of thousands of Londoners whose lives would be blighted by noise and pollution.” They appear not to appreciate that they are advocating inflicting the same misery on other people, in Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Wandsworth even hopes Gatwick expansion will benefit them financially. Their view is based on the opinions of their unfortunate residents, who suffer significantly from Heathrow, but Wandsworth also unquestioningly backs the myth of airport expansion in the south east being “badly needed.” You can email them your views: aviation@wandsworth.gov.uk
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