East Grinstead Town Council states opposition to 2nd Gatwick runway plans
East Grinstead Town Council has voted against plans to expand Gatwick. At the meeting councillors were asked to vote for or against proposals for a 2nd runway, and 14 voted against the proposals, with three abstentions, due to conflicts of interests. Councillors agreed they still had “grave reservations” about the impact on the environment and community from the expansion plans. Council Leader Rex Whittaker said: “At this stage it would appear to this council that the commission has underestimated the potential negative impact on a beautiful, natural, mostly rural area, underestimated the costs needed to bring this option to Gatwick in local infrastructure, and over-estimated the economic benefits.” Reasons for the opposition included pressures on housing, roads, the impact on the environment and Ashdown Forest, and reduced quality of life for residents. Councillors agreed that “the negatives far outweigh the positives….The roads and housing situation is bad enough without a second runway at Gatwick.” An East Grinstead resident says she is being plagued by problem parkers outside her home who leave their cars, then head off to Gatwick on holiday. Recently one car parked outside her house and was left there for 9 days.
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East Grinstead Town Council states opposition to second Gatwick runway plans
4.2.2015 (East Grinstead Courier)
OPPOSED: East Grinstead Town Council voted against plans to expand Gatwick Airport at a meeting on Monday night.
EAST Grinstead Town Council is opposed to plans to expand Gatwick Airport, after a substantial majority of councillors voted against the proposals.
At a meeting in the town’s council offices in East Court on Monday, councillors were asked to vote for or against proposals for a second runway at Gatwick.
The votes counted were 14 against the proposals, with three abstentions, due to conflicts of interests.
At the meeting, councillors agreed they still had “grave reservations” about the impact on the environment and community from the expansion plans.
Fury as problem parkers abandon cars in East Grinstead and head to Gatwick on holiday
The town council has now submitted its report to the Airports Commission along with other authorities in the area.
The deadline for all authorities was Tuesday, February 3.
Council Leader Rex Whittaker said: “At this stage it would appear to this council that the commission has underestimated the potential negative impact on a beautiful, natural, mostly rural area, underestimated the costs needed to bring this option to Gatwick in local infrastructure, and over-estimated the economic benefits. At this time the East Grinstead Town Council would oppose the Gatwick Option being pursued.”
Reasons for the opposition included pressures on housing, roads, the impact on the environment and Ashdown Forest, and reduced quality of life for residents.
Frank Osborne, councillor for Imberhorne ward who attended the meeting on Monday, said: “What we all agree on is that the negatives far outweigh the positives. It’s putting in writing what everyone knows.
The roads and housing situation is bad enough without a second runway at Gatwick.”
The vote was held at a precept meeting to set the town council’s proportion of the council tax.
Mid Sussex District Council slams Gatwick runway plan as a ‘flight of fancy’
MPs call Gatwick plans a “catastophe” for local communities
MP slams council’s decision to support Gatwick
Fury as problem parkers abandon cars in East Grinstead and head to Gatwick on holiday
February 20th, 2015 (East Grinstead Courier)
By Jo Gilbert
AN EAST Grinstead resident says she is being plagued by problem parkers outside her home who leave their cars, then head off to the airport.
Most recently, Janet Furnish, who lives on Halsford Park Road, says one car parked outside her house and was left there for nine days.
She had planned on confronting the driver – who she believes had travelled to Gatwick by train and gone abroad – but when she came home on Saturday the car had gone.
She is overseeing building works at her home and says the amount of parking makes it impossible for vans or large vehicles to get down the road.
She explained: “Parking here is really bad. The poor builders had to park down road and walk all the way back carrying everything in wheelbarrows. Drivers often leave cars for long periods of time. Because we’re close to the station I think they go off to Gatwick or London for a long weekend. You can’t blame people for not wanting to pay for car parking on top of their travel, but none of us want them parking on our doorstep.”
Mrs Furnish said the road is also a hotspot for inconsiderate parking because of its proximity to Halsford Park Primary School on Manor Road.
“Parents are the worst offenders,” she explained. “Some come flying down the road and then have to mount the curb because the road is too narrow and there’s too much parking. You can’t see what’s coming up road. There’s going to be a prang.”
West Sussex county councillor Heidi Brunsdon, who represents Imberdown ward, explained there had been two consultations in recent years on Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in the area – the most recent of which took place last year.
Halsford Park Road does not come under a CPZ but consultations to make amendments to the zones are taking place.
She said: “The area of Halsford Park Road is problematic because of its proximity to the school and station. Parking surveys were undertaken in the week commencing May 19, 2014, in order to give West Sussex County Council an indication of parking habits and patterns in particular roads. The results will be compiled in a report to be put before councillors at the North Mid Sussex County Local Committee later this year.”
Mrs Furnish said she was told to contact the police, who directed her to Operation Crackdown at the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership.
But Mrs Furnish said she was told that Operation Crackdown could not help her either. She said: “Operation Crackdown is for cars that have been dumped, so they said it was not their problem.”
A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “If these vehicles aren’t parked illegally or causing an obstruction or a safety hazard, it is not a police matter. The resident needs to contact Mid-Sussex District Council in the first instance. Operation Crackdown is a website which people can use to report any anti-social driving issues.”
A spokeswoman for Mid Sussex District Council said that while parking restrictions on the road are dealt with by West Sussex County Council, parking officers from Mid Sussex are often deployed to make sure any parking restrictions are enforced properly.
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