The
proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport is ‘wholly unsustainable’ and will
have a major adverse effect on the lives of people living in the Royal
Borough.
That’s
the message spelled out in a report to be discussed at next Thursday’s
cabinet meeting (21 February). Councillors will be asked to back the report
from Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for highways, transport and environment,
expressing total opposition to the government’s 20-year plan that includes a
third runway, a sixth terminal and up to 700,000 passengers a year by 2030.
Cllr Rayner said: “Since the consultation document was published before
Christmas there has been growing concern across the borough about the
detrimental impact these proposals will have on residents’ quality of life,
particularly relating to noise, air quality and pressure on housing, roads
and other local services.
“The council has been active in the community to get people’s views so that
they can be reflected in our formal response to the Department for Transport
(DfT). Our public meetings have shown that residents are disgusted and
incensed by the totally biased consultation process and a huge majority have
left us in no doubt about their opposition to the expansion.
“Those already suffering from the adverse effects of living under Heathrow
flight paths have genuine and well-founded fears that if these plans go
ahead their lives will be made even more difficult. Others, for example
residents in Maidenhead, are yet to see that new flight paths and increased
aircraft movements will affect them significantly for the first time.
“We
have a responsibility to our children, and our children’s children, to
protect the local environment and the council is encouraging people to get
involved and make their voices heard – it’s up to us, right now.”
Cllr David Burbage, council leader, said that one of the major concerns is
the lack of objective hard evidence to prove the government’s claims that
the expansion is sustainable and will meet all the necessary environmental
standards.
He said: “Given that the government has rejected its own study into the
effects of aircraft noise on local communities*, we are sceptical that the
expansion is achievable without serious adverse effects on our community.
“The consultation documents are bewildering in their wealth of technical
data – yet for all this great mass of detail, so much of the vital
information on environmental impact and economic benefits is missing.
“The expansion also goes against everything that came out of the Terminal 5
inquiry when the inspector made it clear that a third runway would have such
severe and widespread impacts on the environment as to be totally
unacceptable. If the DfT is prepared to ignore such learned advice, after
one of the most severe public scrutinies in history, what guarantees do we
have that there will not be a fourth runway and a Terminal 7 in the
future?”
If agreed by cabinet, the council’s response to the DfT will include:
·
a robust
challenge to government statements that play down the severity of the
adverse environmental impacts on a large number of borough residents
·
the
unproven, uncalibrated and flawed assertions in the consultation and lack of
objective evidence
·
the
‘broken promises’ – eg the basis and conditions of the Terminal 5 planning
permission
·
the
government’s dismissal of the ANASE study* on noise criteria
·
contradictions of the government’s own policies and statements relating to
climate change, sustainability and noise
·
the lack
of information on how air quality limits will be met.
The response
also covers the council’s opposition to:
