CONSULTATION PERIOD CURRENTLY RUNNING UNTIL MARCH 5TH 2007.

See addresses on this link.for letters to Shepway District Council and GoSE...
 http://www.lyddairport-noexpansion.co.uk/


see below for sample Airportwatch letters and Letter from Caroline Lucas MEP (Green) to Gov Office of South East,.

Also the other opposition grouips latest press release..
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1) AirportWatch.
I’m sure you are aware but a planning application (well 2 actually) has gone in to expand Lydd Airport – one application relates to the extension of the runway and the other building more car parking spaces.
RSPB has organised a public meeting about the application and how to object to it, but it is on Wednesday 7th February, 7.00-8.30pm at the visitors centre on their Dungeness reserve (sorry for the short notice).

Details can be found on the SEFS website ( htpp://www.sefs.org.uk ) on the Events page.

Details about the campaign against the expansion can be found at:

 http://www.lyddairport-noexpansion.co.uk/

A template objection letter can be found at:

 http://www.lyddairport-noexpansion.co.uk/resources/leafletjan2007.pdf and objections need to be sent to Shepway District Council by 5th March 2007, more details can be found on their website:

 http://www.shepway.gov.uk/content/view/1201/247/

Please circulate as you see fit.
Many thanks
Alison Walters
SEFS Coordinator
Tel: 01273 766 643
Web: www.sefs.org.uk
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2) Green Party MEP
30 January 2007

MEP HORRIFIED AT LYDD AIRPORT EXPANSION PLANS

KENT Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas has joined the call for a Public Inquiry into plans to expand Lydd Airport after being horrified by expansion plans to cater for two million passengers a year. The plans are currently before Shepway District Council for a decision.
Dr Lucas, who represents South-East England and is a member of the European
Parliament’s Environment Committee, said major expansion at Lydd would have ‘disasterous’ consequences on local roads, wildlife, and heritage sites.
‘More noise and air pollution is inevitable, which, as well as worsening people’s quality of life will undermine tourism. More flights of larger aircraft also increases the accident risks at the Dungeness nuclear plants.’
Dr Lucas has asked the government to intervene because aviation is the fastest growing source of climate changing greenhouse gas emissions.
‘There are daily stories about climate change and pressure is mounting to limit airport expansion, not increase its capacity. Kent is one of the most vulnerable counties to sea level increase, and it’s vital we start making decisions to protect our coastlines and our children’s future.’

'I have asked for a Public Inquiry because I think there are important issues to consider which are beyond the remit of Shepway District Council.

Letter below.....

For the attention of Shafkat Khan

Re: Planning applications for London Ashford Airport, Lydd, Romney Marsh, Kent, currently before Shepway District Council for decision

Y06/1647/SH ERECTION OF A TERMINAL BUILDING (CAPABLE OF PROCESSING 500,000 PASSENGERS PER ANNUM) AND 637 CAR PARKING SPACES

Y06/1648/SH CONSTRUCTION OF A 249 METRE RUNWAY TOGETHER WITH AN ADDITIONAL 150 METRE STARTER EXTENSION


Dear Shafkat Kahn

I am writing to request that the Secretary of State calls in these planning applications for her own determination following a Public Inquiry.

I believe the issues raised by this application have a regional and national importance, which are beyond the matters that Shepway District Council could properly consider.

In particular, there is an ongoing national and international debate over the future of aviation and its effect on global warming. With flights set to double to 2020, aviation is the fastest growing source of climate changing greenhouse gas emissions.
With the Stern Report making the economic case for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change about to release its latest report, pressure is mounting to limit airport expansion, not increase its capacity.
Most importantly, as far as these planning applications are concerned, is the regional strategic planning guide – the South East Plan – which is currently at the Examination in Public stage. East Kent and Ashford issues are to be discussed at meetings in Maidstone February 6th to 15th.

The Plan acknowledges the tension between the Aviation White Paper and the national Sustainable Development Strategy.

As far as major airports in the South East are concerned, the Plan does not support capacity increases at Gatwick or Heathrow. In speaking of regional airports in 1.28 (pp 100) the Plan states;

“The Aviation White Paper highlighted the important role that regional airports can play in providing access to air services that reduces the pressure on the international hub airports. This emphasis is strongly supported by the Assembly, and, indeed, it believes the Government should have given more overall emphasis to the potential of regional airports. In addition to the potential previously identified for Southampton Airport, the potential of Kent International (Manston) Airport to fulfil a significant role as a regional airport is now acknowledged, but other airports in the region are not considered to have strategic potential.”

I have further concerns, which are of a more local nature but nonetheless important, particularly including;

· the environmental impacts of 500,000 passengers using the poor local transport infrastructure
· the runway extension and extra flights will increase the aircraft noise disturbance and air pollution for residents in Greatstone and Lydd-on-Sea. The extended runway will be 500 metres from the Greatstone Primary School.
· the negative impact on local tourism
· the adverse effect on local wildlife locations at the Dungeness to Pett Levels Special Protection Area (SPA) designated for its internationally important bird populations and Dungeness Special Area of Conservation (SAC), designated for its great crested newt populations and rare shingle habitat. These designations represent the highest level of legal wildlife habitat protection available in Britain.
· bird strikes - The large numbers of birds in the area make Dungeness a high bird strike risk area. Around 90,000 gulls are known to roost near to the airport on Romney sands. Therefore, the airport will have to implement bird hazard management measures, which could include scaring birds away from parts of the SPA.

It is clear that expansion at Lydd airport does not form part of the South East Plan’s strategic overview of transport within the region, and to enable proper consideration of this and other strategic issues the application would be better determined by the Secretary of State, informed by both the results of the Plan’s Examination in Public and a Public Inquiry.

Yours sincerely
Dr Caroline Lucas
Green MEP, South East England
Suite 58 The Hop Exchange
24 Southwark Street
London SE1 1TY
Tel 020 7407 6281
 carolinelucas@greenmeps.org.uk

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3)Lydd Airport Action Group.....

Press Release: Monday February 5th, 2007

LYDD AIRPORT CUTS JOB ESTIMATES BY 40%
Over the last two years Lydd Airport's management has stated in numerous external presentations and meetings that 1,000 direct airport jobs would be created per million passengers per annum carried. LAAG has always maintained that these job creation estimates were too high. Lydd Airport’s planning application has revealed that the airport’s management has cut their job creation estimates to 600 jobs per million passengers per annum carried - a reduction of 40%

LAAG believes that these job estimates are still too high and will never be achieved. A more realistic figure based on Prestwick and Manston Airport management’s job targets would be 300 jobs per million passengers per annum carried - a further reduction of 50%.

The number of jobs created per million passengers at airports is in long term decline due to the growth of low cost airlines which require fewer airport services. If Lydd Airport reaches its target of 2 million passengers per year by 2015 LAAG estimates that Lydd Airport would create 600 jobs compared to the original Lydd Airport estimate of 2,000 - a reduction of 1400 jobs.

Louise Barton, the LAAG spokesman said: “The airport management has always exaggerated the employment potential of the airport to justify their planning application and we confidently expect the airport’s latest job prospect estimates to be cut again.”
Louise Barton  blmbarton@aol.com

Lydd Airport Action Group lyddairportaction.co.uk

TheHook,MadeiraRoad Littlestone, Kent, TN28 8QX

01797 361 548

(1) LAAG is an action group formed in late August 2004 to oppose the large scale development of Lydd Airport. LAAG has over 2500 active members and is supported by the RSPB, who have described the development as ludicrous, and CPRE Kent who maintain that the airport could not have chosen a worse site.


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