Uttlesford Planning Committee to feel expansion heat

Photocall notice for Wednesday 27 September 2006

TIME: 1.45pm

LOCATION: Outside Uttlesford District Council’s offices, London Road, Saffron Walden CB11 4ER

PICTURE: Members of the local community will be showing their opposition to BAA’s planning application for unlimited passenger use of Stansted’s single runway and an increase in the level of permitted commercial flights at the airport. Waving banners and placards outside the council’s offices, their intention is to remind Members of Uttlesford District Council’s Development Control Committee of the very heavy responsibility which lies on their shoulders in terms of protecting the community and environment from the burden of unsustainable expansion which would result from approving BAA’s planning application.

STORY: Stop Stansted Expansion’s Chairman Peter Sanders will be addressing the Development Control Committee at the start of the meeting (2.30pm, Council Chamber) to make a statement on the Council’s handling of the application in the context of UDC’s decision to postpone any decision until later this year and to scale down its previous insistence upon BAA providing full information on the environmental impacts of its expansion proposals.

Peter Sanders will be present at the photocall for interviews as required and for follow up questions after the Council meeting.

BACKGROUND: The Council’s Development Control Committee was originally due to make a decision on the airport planning application on 27 September but recently announced that it intended to delay its decision until at least the end of November. At the same time the Council has substantially scaled down its information requirements from BAA.

In arguing against any postponement of the planning decision, SSE has already pointed out to the Council that the outstanding responses from the Highways Agency and the rail industry – cited as the reason for the delay – all relate to the single issue of surface access. While this is an important issue, it is only one of more than a dozen areas where the proposed expansion would give rise to unacceptable environmental impacts. More information is available at www.stanstedairportwatch.com/press243.html

ENDS