Government plans to push through All day flights via new Planning Quango
Justine Greening gets confirmation from Ministers
Ministers have confirmed to Justine Greening MP that they intend to have the new Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) which is being introduced under Government planning reforms, consider BAA's planning application to expand Heathrow.
It means the Heathrow expansion proposal will not be considered by the local authority (Hillingdon) and then the Planning Inspectorate. Instead, in spite of still serious concerns about how the IPC would work, the speed with which it would agree massive projects and even concerns as to who would be on it, it will be the body that reviews the expansion application. If Ministers rubber stamp expansion plans, the IPC could be asked by BAA to decide on the introduction of mixed mode and all day flights over Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, which could come as soon as 2010.
Justine said:
"I am very concerned that in spite of the clear and massive local concerns it seems the government intends to push through Heathrow expansion against the express will of millions of Londoners. The London elections may now be the only chance for Londoners to show their deep concern at the ballot box. We know that Gordon Brown backs down when the political heat is on, so this week we’ve got another chance locally to really say NO to Heathrow expansion. Its time to force the government to listen to our community before it’s too late.”
April 30, 2008