Ealing among councils fighting Heathrow expansion (From Ealing Times)

Ealing among councils fighting Heathrow expansion

10:50am Tuesday 7th April 2009

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A LEGAL challenge has been launched today against plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

The application for a judicial review, being heard at the High Court in London, is being brought by members of the 2M group, the all-party alliance of local authorities opposed to expansion of the airport. It includes Ealing Council.

Council leader Jason Stacey said: "It is clear from the many public meetings held right across the borough and beyond that the vast majority of residents oppose the further expansion of Heathrow.

"Many are extremely concerned by increased flights and the additional noise these will bring, and this expansion will have a detrimental impact on all our lives."

He added: "The government has effectively ignored all of these representations but Ealing, along with all of its partners on the 2M Group, will continue to fight the proposals."

In January, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced his support for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow, igniting a bitter row about the environmental impact of the plans.

Hammersmith and Fulham council leader, Stephen Greenhalgh, said: “This is the most important quality of life issue facing our residents.

“The proposed Heathrow expansion is the equivalent to building a new airport the size of Gatwick in the most densely populated part of the country. The arguments for the third runway are based on flimsy economic arguments that do not bear scrutiny. This is why we are supporting the Judicial Review.

“If the third runway is built, it will introduce another flight path over Hammersmith and Fulham, disturbing even more residents with flights from early morning until late at night.”

Hounslow leader Peter Thompson added: "This consultation was deeply flawed because it failed to give local the people the opportunity to say NO to expansion.

"Our own research shows that 96% of local people say NO to a third runway, but the Government is trying to turn a deaf ear to their concerns about noise and pollution."

The 2M case is also backed by Greenpeace, RSPB, WWF, CPRE, HACAN and the Sipson residents’ group NOTRAG – its members face the stark prospect of 700 families losing their homes, something Uxbridge MP John Randall described as the biggest forced displacement of people since the Highland Clearances of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Hillingdon Council leader Ray Puddifoot, speaking on behalf of 2M said: “The number of organisations backing this challenge is unprecedented. It shows that just about everyone other than Geoff Hoon thinks the Government has got this wrong.

“For the local authorities the real concern is that the Government has not proved that a third runway can be operated without breaching air pollution limits, making noise worse or creating intolerable congestion on local roads and public transport.”

The decision was subject to a number of environmental conditions relating to noise, air quality, public transport and climate change.

The local authorities will argue that the Government failed to conduct a lawful consultation process and arrived at a decision on a potentially half-capacity third runway, which was different to the fully operational runway in the consultation.

They will claim that the decision was irrational in a number of areas including the economic case, noise, air quality and public transport impacts and the approach to climate change issues, and that the Transport Secretary failed to provide adequate reasons for his decision.

If permission for the judicial review is granted it is likely that a hearing would not take place until the early part of 2010.

The 2M now represents 23 authorities with a combined population of five million people, and is supported by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

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