Mid Sussex District Council, and Wealden District Council both oppose Gatwick runway
Date added: 28 January, 2015
Following a full discussion at the Scrutiny Committee for Planning and Economic Development on the 20th of January 2015, Mid Sussex District Councillors agreed to write to the Airports Commission to strongly oppose a 2nd Gatwick runway. The Council endorsed the opposition on 28th January. The Council is concerned about the impact of an expanded Gatwick on Mid Sussex, a predominately rural area, just one mile away from the current airport boundary. Infrastructure will not be adequate, and has not been properly assessed by the Commission. Councillors did not believe the possible economic benefits would outweigh the devastating impact of a runway.There are concerns about the impact on areas designated as National Park or High Weald. Wealden District Council agreed at a meeting on 28th January not to support the Gatwick runway. However, they felt a Heathrow runway would benefit the District more. Councillors are concerned about the pressure for more housing that a runway would create, and that there needs to be further work done on the environmental impact on the Ashdown Forest, particularly exhaust fumes from the extra vehicles. Other councillors expressed concern about flightpaths and noise.
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Mid Sussex Scrutiny Committee Members oppose the Gatwick Second Runway
27 January 2015
Following a full discussion at the Scrutiny Committee for Planning and Economic Development on the 20th of January 2015, Mid Sussex District Councillors have agreed to write to the Davies Commission to strongly oppose the proposal for a second runway at Gatwick airport.
The Committee has asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor Garry Wall, to write to Sir Howard Davies expressing the Committees concerns about the impact of an expanded Gatwick on Mid Sussex, a predominately rural area, just one mile away from the current airport. The Committee reported that the improvements proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited will not be sufficient and the wider infrastructure requirements of expanding Gatwick have not been adequately assessed by the Commission. Furthermore, Councillors noted that there is no evidence that the expansion will provide sufficient economic benefits to outweigh the devastating impact of this proposal.
Councillor Garry Wall, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:
“With over 60% of the district designated as either National Park or High Weald, an expanded airport will irrevocable change the rural and tranquil nature of the district. An expanded airport at Gatwick will be 19% bigger than the current Heathrow, which would place further strain on the already inadequate and failing infrastructure. It could mean an increase of 51% in the amount of housing in the area.”
The Committee agreed that an expanded Gatwick would have a devastating impact on this beautiful, ecological and historical area of the country. The Council will be asked to endorse the Committee’s view at its meeting on the 28th January 2015.
ENDS
http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/9624.htm
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Wealden Council: “Greater economic benefits from expanding Heathrow”
28.1.2015 (Crowborough Life)
Wealden District Council met today to agree their submission to the Airports Commision. The body, led by Sir Howard Davies, will recommend after the General Election in May, how the Government should respond to demands for greater airport capacity in South East England.
Only yesterday East Sussex County Council decided to support expansion at Gatwick Airport. However today, Wealden’s Cabinet decided on the evidence presented not to support the second runway at Gatwick because expansion at Heathrow appears to have greater economic benefits for Wealden than Gatwick’s second runway.
Councillors have concerns expansion at Gatwick will increase pressure on housing in the District. East Sussex County Council have estimated the current number of workers living in the County who are directly employed by Gatwick as 5.3%, with 2.8% of these living in Wealden. This equates to around 1,100 jobs at present with a projected increase to 3,400 employed directly by Gatwick by 2030.
In their submission to the Airport Commission, Wealden District Council have said they think further work needs to be done on the environmental impact on the Ashdown Forest, particularly exhaust fumes from the extra vehicles.
Cllr Ann Newton, Cabinet member for Planning and Development said:
“From the evidence we have been given, the adverse environmental impact of a second runway for Wealden far out weighs any economic benefits that it may have for the District.”
On the separate issue of flightpaths, Wealden District Council agreed to continue to raise concerns about any changes to departures and arrivals at Gatwick which may have an adverse impact on noise levels affecting Wealden District.
Cllr Ann Newton, Cabinet member for Planning and Development said:
“The changes in the flightpaths over summer caused havoc for residents in the north of the District.”
Following the decision of East Sussex County Councillors to support the expansion of Gatwick Airport yesterday, Wealden MP Charles Hendry commented:
“Having looked closely at the figures, I am in no doubt that the supposed economic benefits are bogus. Gatwick suggests a second runway would create more than 120,000 jobs but there are less than 25,000 unemployed people in the areas surrounding Gatwick. Therefore expansion will lead to huge inward migration to the counties around the airport, East Sussex included, which will require vast new housing stock and supportive infrastructure. Gatwick have committed just £10 million for motorway improvements – which will amount to less than 10 miles of highway. It expects the Government or Councils to pay for all the other infrastructure improvements that would be needed.Gatwick plans would mean a doubling of the number of flights – more than 10,000 a week – and approaching three times as many passengers. This would put an intolerable burden on our local infrastructure and I am sorry that the County Council failed to recognise the great intrusion today’s smaller Gatwick puts on so many people living in Wealden.We can only hope now that the mass of opposition from other Local Authorities in the area will be enough to dissuade the Airports Commission from recommending expansion at Gatwick this summer.”
Click on the following link to read Wealden’s full submission to the Airport Commission.
http://crowboroughlife.com/greater-economic-benefits-expanding-heathrow-7992/
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Posted: Wednesday, January 28th, 2015. Filed in Blog, News about Airports, Recent News.
