GACC research studies show hugely negative impact of 2nd runway on urbanisation, habitats and wildlife
As part of the extensive series of research studies that GACC has produced, there are papers on the problems that a 2nd runway would do in urbanising the Crawley area, and the problems for local habitat and wildlife. “The Urbanisation of Crawley” by scientist Peter Jordan, shows how the future would be at risk. Peter says: “Crawley and the surrounding towns already have severe problems of congestion on inadequate road and rail links. A 2nd runway could only make these problems worse, without any realistic plan to address them.” The airport boundary would be just a hundred yards from the nearest residential area of Crawley. “The Gatwick Landscape” by naturalist and author, David Bangs, draws attention to the hitherto largely unrecognised landscape wealth of history. Dr Tony Whitbread CEO of the Sussex Wildlife Trust, says: “A 2nd runway at Gatwick would require 577 ha of land for the construction of the runway, terminal, car parks and new on-airport roads. Rather than dismissing this [as Gatwick airport does] as “a few fields”, Dave Bangs has made a careful study of this area. His emotive account is the perspective of an expert who loves every aspect of nature. He reveals the hidden riches of a place which could be bulldozed into oblivion.” With tragic loss of natural landscape and wildlife habitats.
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Crawley – Urban and Rural – at risk
8.5.2016 (GACC – Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign)
GACC has published a series of research studies exploring the impact of a second Gatwick runway.
“The Urbanisation of Crawley“ by scientist Peter Jordan, traces the history of Crawley since its inception as a ‘New Town’ in the post-war years and shows how the future would be at risk if a second Gatwick runway got the go-ahead.
Peter says: ‘Crawley and the surrounding towns already have severe problems of congestion on inadequate road and rail links. A 2nd runway could only make these problems worse, without any realistic plan to address them.’
In a foreword, former (twice) Mayor of Crawley, Brenda Smith, says: ‘Gatwick airport brings many benefits to Crawley, not least jobs (although too many of them are unskilled and low paid). But it also brings noise, pollution and traffic problems. It is for those reasons that I have always strongly opposed a second runway which would ultimately make Gatwick as big as Heathrow, with the airport boundary a mere hundred yards from the residential area of my ward.’
“The Gatwick Landscape” by naturalist and author, David Bangs, draws attention to the hitherto largely unrecognised landscape wealth of history, and rare trees and flowers in the area that would be bulldozed to construct a second runway.
David says: ‘The countryside directly threatened by the proposal for a Gatwick second runway is a patchwork of loved urban fringe green spaces, ancient landscape features, and wildlife sites with great ecological continuity and cultural importance. The runway plan would wholly eliminate the high value landscape between the current airport and the northern edge of Crawley’s built-up area.’
In a foreword, Dr Tony Whitbread Chief Executive of the Sussex Wildlife Trust, says: “A second runway at Gatwick would require 577 ha of land for the construction of the runway, terminal, car parks and new on-airport roads. Rather than dismissing this [as Gatwick airport does] as “a few fields”, Dave Bangs has made a careful study of this area. His emotive account is the perspective of an expert who loves every aspect of nature. He reveals the hidden riches of a place which could be bulldozed into oblivion.”
“[A new runway] would mean the demolition of 17 listed buildings, five of them listed grade 2*. The extra employment would also require the construction of a large number of houses: according to the Airports Commission under 10,000, but according to consultants commissioned by the West Sussex County Council around 40,000. Whatever the actual number, this would be bound to create extensive urbanisation, and loss of natural landscape and wildlife habitats.”
http://www.gacc.org.uk/resources/Crawley%20urban%20and%20rural%20press%20release.pdf
Gatwick Landscape. Describes the unrecognised ecological value of the land that would be bulldozed to construct a second runway. Read research study
Heritage and countryside. GACC has co-operated with CPRE, the Woodland Trust and CAGNE (Communities against Gatwick Noise and Emissions) to produce a study of the 17 listed buildings that would be demolished by a second Gatwick runway and the impact on countryside. To be published on 1 July.
GACC research studies
List of the publications GACC has produced, setting out the evidence – topic by topic – on why there should not be a 2nd runway.
http://www.gacc.org.uk/research-studies.php