Picture the scene – a cosy, circular council chamber occupied by lots of legal people dressed formally in suits, others busily tapping away on laptops and everywhere you look boxes and boxes of paper all containing vital information about each side’s views about the expansion of Lydd airport.
And most encouragingly even though we are now immersed in the depths of opposing arguments and a huge amount of jargon and legalese, there are still some determined stalwarts in the public gallery watching and listening to proceedings.
Today sees the cross examination of Dr John Allen, a highly qualified and respected bird strike expert, by Mr Peter Village Q.C., the Airport’s barrister. Indeed Dr Allen is Chairman of the International Bird Strike Committee and has a long list of qualifications after his name. He is giving evidence on his opinion of the Airport’s Bird Hazard Risk Assessment and associated Bird Control Management Plan. More jargon, which in essence means he is giving his view on how well the Airport have assessed the risks of potential bird strike of the expansion proposal and how to reduce it. The Airport’s expert, Mr Deacon, has already given his evidence on bird strike risk and the proposed bird control
I expect this ‘cut and thrust’ debate will continue for the rest of the day and probably even into tomorrow!
Samantha Dawes