Sir Howard Davies speech, today, on national airport capacity marks eleven months of work by the Airports Commission – at this stage there are no definitive answers but there are some pointers. You can read the whole speech here.
Naturally we’re looking at this interim statement to provide the next instalment in the saga of proposals to build a new airport in or around the Thames Estuary – a proposal that was first made (and rejected) in 1946. Sir Howard clearly states that they no environmentally damaging options would be included. This should rule out a Thames option as it is at the top end of impact to the natural environment as well as the communities that would be affected; we’ll continue to argue the case for no estuary airport.
A particularly striking element of the speech is the recognition of carbon limits even if this is in the context of acknowledging the demand for an increase in capacity in the South East. Squaring the circle between expansion and bringing the carbon emissions of the aviation sector into line in order to meet the UK’s 80% emissions by 2050 will be a key test of the Aviation Commission’s recommendations.
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Communities in North Kent have been here before and stood shoulder to shoulder with RSPB and many others as it fought its largest ever campaign against a proposal to site a new airport on Cliffe Marshes. The successful ‘No Airport at Cliffe campaign’ brought a greater awareness of the Thames Estuary & its marshes, why they are so special and why they are protected under local, national & international law. These proposals, which were part of a Government review of airport capacity in the South East, were eventually rejected. The review also considered the option of siting an airport in the Thames Estuary. These proposals were also rejected. A new hub airport anywhere in or around the Thames Estuary would potentially be the single biggest piece of environmental vandalism ever perpetrated in the UK.
There is a strong sense of community among those that live alongside the marshes. We share the vision of the RSPB Greater Thames Futurescapes project and look forward to a sustainable future and a healthy environment where development happens to benefit wildlife and people.
We strongly urge the Airports Commission not to include a new Thames estuary airport as a viable option in any new Government strategy and to rule out building a new hub airport anywhere in or around the Thames Estuary at the earliest opportunity.
Ours is the marsh country down by the river, within, as the river winds twenty miles of the sea and we will never give up the fight to protect our globally important wildlife sites and our communities here in the Thames estuary.
Friends of the North Kent Marshes
Conservation and Communities United