Newcastle Airport expansion plans slammed by Green Party as ‘harmful’ to health in the North East

The Green Party say planned expansion of Newcastle International Airport flies in the face of efforts to tackle climate change and improve public health in the North East. The Greens have set out a stinging critique of the wide-ranging ‘Masterplan 2035’ set out earlier this year. The public consultation on the plans closed earlier this month. By 2035, the aim is to drive passenger numbers up by 74% to 9.4m a year and increase the amount of freight coming through the airport  – in order (in theory) to boost the region’s economy. Environmentalists  say it is in incompatible with national and local policy designed to improve air quality and cut CO2 emissions. A spokesman for the Greens said:  “More flights at Newcastle Airport would take us in the opposite direction to our national and international legal obligations, and the resulting increase in road traffic would worsen already-illegal levels of air pollution.”   The airport claims that restricting its expansion “would undermine the competitiveness of our region and make it difficult for businesses to operate.”  The airport wants more investment in public transport to the airport.
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Newcastle Airport expansion plans slammed as ‘harmful’ to health in the North East

The Newcastle Green Party have warned the plans will undermine efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality

By Sean Seddon (Chronicle)
28 SEP 2018

The planned expansion of Newcastle International Airport flies in the face of efforts to tackle climate change and improve public health in the North East, according to the Green Party.

The Greens have set out a stinging critique of the wide-ranging ‘Masterplan 2035’ set out earlier this year.

A public consultation on the plans – which are designed to coincide with the airport’s 100th birthday – closed earlier this month.

By 2035, the aim is to drive passenger numbers up by 74% to 9.4m a year and increase the amount of freight coming through the airport in order to boost the region’s economy.

A new runway is not the stated aim of airport bosses but the plan does retain it as option in the future if the increase in traffic can not be achieved on existing infrastructure.

But the plan has angered environmentalists who say it is in incompatible with national and local policy designed to improve air quality and cut carbon emissions.

Newcastle Green Party member and climate change researcher Alistair Ford said: “The North East should not be expanding airport capacity when action to reduce air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions is becoming increasingly urgent.

“More flights at Newcastle Airport would take us in the opposite direction to our national and international legal obligations, and the resulting increase in road traffic would worsen already-illegal levels of air pollution.

“The impacts of climate change and costs to our NHS must be prioritised. The Masterplan sets out a vision for growth that is grossly incompatible even with current government policy.”

Concerns over noise pollution for people living in vicinity of the airport and plans to expand the capacity of road links to the airport were also raised by the Newcastle Green Party.

But a spokesperson for the airport hit back, saying, while he welcomed the Green Party’s response and would be “delighted to meet and discuss the submission”, the masterplan is critically important to region’s economy.

Graeme Mason, planning and corporate affairs director, said: “It is important for the future of the North East economy that the airport is able to grow, providing improved air connectivity to a wider range of global markets.

“Airport growth will also deliver thousands of jobs and a total economic contribution of over £2 billion by 2035.

“Restricting the airport would undermine the competitiveness of our region and make it difficult for businesses to operate.

“Like any business, the airport produces a range of forecasts and the masterplan is based on the high end of these to ensure that enough land is safeguarded and all environmental issues are properly considered.

“The plan recognises that the airport has to grow sustainably and includes an assessment of environmental and community impacts, and a robust approach to mitigate these.

“The plan strongly supports investment to improve public transport to the airport, such as the new Metro trains and the expansion of the Metro system to open it up to a larger population, and sets ambitious targets for greater use of sustainable transport by passengers and staff.”

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-airport-expansion-plans-slammed-15209873

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