“Greenwash Earth” gives Luton airport its “Greenwasher of the Month” award for its expansion carbon claims
There are a lot of contenders for a “greenwashing” award, with many in the aviation sector. Now the group, Greenwash Earth has awarded its gong of “Greenwasher of the Month” to Luton airport for its crazy claims. They won the award for claiming they can develop a “sustainable” airport. The term “sustainable” used to mean something, when first introduced 20 or so years ago – but has now been debased into meaninglessness. Luton claims increasing the capacity of the airport to 32 million passengers per year, by building a new terminal and making the best use of the existing runway, will somehow be “sustainable” and not emit any more carbon. It is nonsensical to pretend that more flights will not raise carbon emissions, and make it harder for the UK to meet climate targets, or for the earth not to heat more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Greenwash Earth say there is similar nonsense being promoted by other airports, such as Bristol and Heathrow.
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In a close run competition, Luton Council have triumphed in this month’s ‘Greenwasher of the Month’ competition. This is their reward for claiming they can develop a sustainable airport. Airport expansion and the nonsensical arguments about sustainable airports, sustainable aviation fuels and growth in flights that will help keep overall temperature rises to 1.5°. You will find similar nonsense at Bristol Airport and at Heathrow.
The proposal is to increase the capacity of the airport to 32 million passengers per year, by building a new terminal and making the best use of the existing runway.
Councillor Javeria Hussain, Chair of Luton Rising, said: “Our proposals will reflect the sustainability values, both of Luton Rising, and our sole shareholder, Luton Council. We want to maximise the social and economic benefits of growth and we firmly believe there is a way to grow an airport in a sustainably responsible way.”
Luton Airport currently emits c2.2million tonnes of CO2 plus another c200,000 tonnes of other greenhouse gasses. The projection is for this level of pollution to almost double with planned expansion in operation.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, executive member, growth, infrastructure, planning & the economy said: “We remain extremely concerned over the impact of an expanded Luton Airport both on residents through inadequate access and particularly on the wider environmental impact of noise and pollution. In the current climate, low cost flying is not an option for a sustainable future”.
Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin and Harpenden added: “London Luton Airport’s plan to work around previous planning conditions to increase passenger numbers from 18 million to 19 million is poorly timed and ill-judged. I am firmly opposed”.
See earlier:
Luton Airport expansions deemed ‘unjustified’ and ‘unmerited’ by Hertfordshire opposition groups
Anti-noise groups are encouraging proposed developments to London Luton Airport to focus on “building back better” in the next stage of oppositions against the present plans.
In a bid to mitigate noise and reduce the airports overall carbon emissions, campaigners are pressing for a reassessment of expansion plans, in a time where passenger levels have significantly decreased due to the pandemic. Local community groups have rejected the current proposals on the basis of them being “unjustified and unmerited”.
Andrew Lambourne, speaking for community group LADACAN (Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise), said: “Airport growth going forward has to be more responsibly managed than in the past. The industry is innately carbon-inefficient at present due to outdated airspace design, which forces planes into holding stacks and causes Luton departures to be held low sometimes for 15-20 miles.”
After exceeding noise control limits for three successive years, Luton Airport has now signalled it wants permission to break four more of the planning conditions laid down by Luton Borough Council in 2013.
“Luton Council needs to send Luton Airport a really clear signal that noise conditions are there for a purpose, which might focus some effort on growth balanced by mitigation, as the government requires.”
HCC has now sent a robust 18-page rejection of the plans, including “very serious concerns relating to the mismanagement of the operations of LLA resulting in it failing to comply with its 2014 planning consent and the knock-on adverse implications this has had for communities”.
HCC recently launched the ‘sustainable Hertfordshire strategy 2020’, which includes the short-term ambition “clean air for all by 2030”.
Neil MacArthur, chairman of HarpendenSky, added: “This significant and laudable HCC aim supported by thousands of Hertfordshire residents is clearly threatened by Luton Airport and airport owner Luton Borough Council planning for substantial air traffic growth over the same period.”
Luton Airport currently emits c2.2million tonnes of CO2 plus another c200,000 tonnes of other greenhouse gasses. The projection is for this level of pollution to almost double with planned expansion in operation.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, executive member, growth, infrastructure, planning & the economy said: “We remain extremely concerned over the impact of an expanded Luton Airport both on residents through inadequate access and particularly on the wider environmental impact of noise and pollution. In the current climate, low cost flying is not an option for a sustainable future”.
Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin and Harpenden added: “London Luton Airport’s plan to work around previous planning conditions to increase passenger numbers from 18 million to 19 million is poorly timed and ill-judged. I am firmly opposed”.
A spokesperson from Luton Borough Council said in response to statements by those who oppose the expansion: “The council’s airport company, London Luton Airport Limited, has recently consulted on future expansion plans for which a development consent order will be required. Whether or not to approve that order will be determined by the secretary of state on the recommendation of the planning inspectorate. It will not be decided by Luton Borough Council.”
A spokesperson for LLA said: “Our consultation provided the first opportunity for the local community, passengers and business partners to feedback on our proposals, ahead of a formal application, which will follow the relevant planning process. An environmental impact assessment is also being carried out to identify any potential effects and possible mitigations to ensure we deliver a sustainable plan for the future of the airport and its continued contribution to the local community.
“While current circumstances mean we are unlikely to see this number of passengers for several years, it’s essential we take steps now to safeguard the airport, jobs and support the region’s post COVID recovery. The changes we are proposing will not result in any visible difference to the airport, and will work entirely within existing infrastructure.”
This proposal is put forward by the airport operator and is separate from Luton Council’s more ambitious plan for 32m passengers.
For more information about Luton Airport’s expansion plans, visit Central Bedfordshire’s website.
https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/luton-airport-opposition-to-expansion-6622174
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See also:
Luton Airport consultation about expansion plans, to increase to 32 million annual passengers
Luton airport has started another public consultation (ends 4th April) on further expansion plans. It now wants to increase its annual number of passengers (from 18.2 million in 2019) to 32 million (mppa). The proposals by the airport owner Luton Rising [the new name the company that owns Luton airport has started using] involve expanding the existing terminal, building a 2nd terminal and making “best use” [ie. more use] of the existing runway. At the start of December 2021, Luton council, which conveniently owns the airport, gave it permission to increase from 18 to 19 mppa. If approved, the Phase 1 would be expansion of Terminal 1 and associated facilities to increase capacity to approximately 21.5 mppa. Phase 2 would involve construction of new Terminal 2 and associated facilities to increase airport capacity to 27 mppa. Then a later further phase would be more expansion of Terminal 2, to increase to 32 mppa. Opponents of the airport’s growth say the latest consultation is “a huge waste of public money”. The level of aircraft noise in 2019 was severe, and residents are horrified of it becoming even worse – as well as the local congestion etc. It makes no sense to encourage aviation expansion, when the UK must cut its carbon emissions, fast.
Click here to view full story…
Local MP, Bim Afolami, and community groups ask Gove to call-in Luton expansion plans
Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, has called on the government to review plans to allow for a million more passengers per year through Luton Airport, rising from 18 million to 19 million. On 2nd December, Luton Borough Council (which owns the airport and decides its planning applications) approved the airport’s expansion plans and varying the noise conditions it operates under. Now Bim Afolami has asked Communities Secretary Michael Gove, at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to “call-in” the decision. The DLUHC says it would consider requests for a call-in, taking the decision from the council, to government. This is usually when an application has wider impacts than just the local area, which Luton’s extra flights definitely would. Another reason for call-in is if an application conflicts with a national policy – climate in this case. Bim said the decision to approve the expansion “completely ignores the environmental and cross-boundary impact”. Local groups, including the Luton and District Association for Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN) and Harpenden Sky, have also written to the Minister asking for call-in.
Click here to view full story…
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