On the 23rd October Manchester City Council's main planning committee will decide on a planning application to bulldoze 4 properties in an ecological oasis on the edge of Manchester Airport.

One of them, Rose Cottage, is a 400 year old grade II listed building, one of the first to be built out of proper bricks. The other three are also historic, but not listed. All four are tenanted.

Also up for the chop are dozens of mature trees hosting bats, woodpeckers, and many other bird species. The nearby field has a 300 year old natural pond hosting EU protected great crested newts. The area has a large population of wild rabbits and some foxes.

Manchester Airport want to bulldoze the lot, to build two giant air freight cargo warehouses. These will almost double Manchester Airports' air freight capacity, meaning more tomatoes and flowers flow in from Europe and Africa.

This is not only cultural barbarism and environmental insanity, but also economical madness in the face of a massive recession and a regressive air industry.

We voted it down in the local planning committee (the WAC, which I am a member of) but it now goes to the main planning committee who are more likely to be leaned on by the owners of the Airport - Labour led Manchester City Council. Labour have a majority on the Planning Committee.

English Heritage, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit, the Council for British Archaeology, local councillors and residents all oppose the plans.

Please help us by doing two things:

1. Sign the petition:  http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/RoseCottage
2. Spread the word - copy and paste this article, and the links and send to all your friends and colleagues. We need as many signatures as possible. They don't have to live in Manchester, as it may add further credibility if this is supported nationwide.

If you have a facebook account you can join the Facebook campaign group here:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29124958897

Here's how the Manchester Evening News covered the story last week:  http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1070358_airport_plan_threatens_400yearold_cottage

Over 100 people have signed our online petition. Let's see if we can breach 1000 before the 23rd October!

If you are available on the 23rd during the day, and can make it to the Planning Meeting as an objector, you may be able to speak out against this in the Council Chamber. If we can pack the venue out, it would be a real show of force. Please seriously consider coming along if you can (details on the facebook page).

Please spread the word - we need your help.

Kind regards

Cllr M Eakins
Manchester Councillor - Lib-Dem