Stop Stansted Expansion demonstration at 2nd Runway Inquiry meeting

16.1.2009   (Stop Stansted Expansion)  

If you can make it to the photocall just before the start of the public inquiry
meeting this Monday, that would be great.   Observers are welcome at the meeting
itself.   Parking is available (free) at the Hilton – take the entry ticket to
reception before departure to get an exit token.  
The Campaign Office SSE                   01279 870558

STANSTED SECOND RUNWAY INQUIRY MEETING

Photocall before it at   9.45am, Monday, 19 January 2009

at the Hilton Hotel, Round Coppice Road, Stansted Airport CM24 1SF

People from across the region will demonstrate their opposition to plans for
a ‘quick and dirty’ public inquiry into BAA’s planning application for a second
runway at Stansted Airport.   Their protest is to take place as officials gather
for an Inquiry Programming Meeting this coming Monday, 19 January.  

They’ll be mounting a colourful display outside the venue for the meeting (Hilton
Hotel) with their own banners and placards to make clear to the inquiry Inspector,
Andrew Phillipson, that the Inquiry must not be rushed through and must be subject
to a thorough, fair and transparent process.  

Anything less than a full, accessible hearing would risk the wrong conclusions
being reached based on superficial claims by the airport owner, BAA, and would
prevent members of the public and their representatives from properly participating
in the inquiry process.   This would be both unfair and undemocratic and completely
unacceptable in view of the scale of what is being proposed – plans to make Stansted
bigger than Heathrow and any other airport in Europe today.  

A contingent from Suffolk will join people from Herts, Essex and South Cambridgeshire
to emphasise that it’s not just those living in the immediate vicinity of Stansted
Airport who would suffer as a result of expansion, but those living even 50 miles
away who would be subject to significantly increased noise from overflying.

 FORMAL REPRESENTATION AT THE MEETING

Stop Stansted Expansion, the four local authorities (known as ‘the Councils’),
National Trust and Airlines Consultative Committee and, of course, BAA are amongst
the parties who will have a formal seat at the meeting (which starts at 10.30am)
to make clear their own views on the programming arrangements which are currently
in draft stage.  

The meeting is open to the public to attend.   Representatives from various national
environmental groups are also expected to attend to ensure that the enormously
damaging climate change impacts of aviation are not overlooked.  

The agenda and related papers for the meeting, to be chaired by Inspector Phillipson,
are accessible online at:

www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/stanstedg2inquiry/InspectorsProgrammingMeeting.htm 

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) will have spokesmen present before and after the
meeting to provide comment as required.   A copy of SSE’s letter and response to
the meeting notes are available from Carol Barbone on request (see contact details
below) or online at
www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/second_runway_programming_meeting.html.  

SSE will issue a press release following the meeting.

 

FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION / COMMENT

Carol Barbone, SSE:   0777 552 3091, cbarbone@mxc.co.uk

www.stopstanstedexpansion.com