East: Stop Stansted expansion

Deborah McGurran Politics Show East

The Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign have pledged that they will take their case to the highest courts in Europe if the Government's decision goes against them in December 2003.

Campaigners are concerned about the airport expansion plans

This week some of its campaigners travelled to Brussels in a last ditch bid to influence those at the European Parliament.

There, they joined other campaigners at a pan European conference on aviation noise run by the Green Party.

They also met with the region's MP's in an attempt to lobby for their cause, before a final decision is reached.

It is expected to be made public soon with the publishing of the Government's White Paper on Aviation expected before Christmas.

Many here believe that in four weeks time they will face the prospect of another runway at the Essex airport.

The campaign group opposing expansion at Stansted also demonstrated outside Downing Street on Thursday to underline local opposition.

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE)

Inaugurated on 6 August 2002, SSE was formed in response to Government plans to add up to three extra runways at Stansted by 2030.

The campaign has 4200 members including over 60 parish and local councils and the support of every local MP, MEPs and over 20 eminent environment and heritage groups including the National Trust, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Friends of the Earth and Essex Wildlife Trust.

The campaign is firmly focused on persuading the Government of the strength of the case against expansion at Stansted, made in a 107 page response put together by an expert team of advisors and incorporating information from a number of specialist reports by independent consultants.

SSE was formed in response to Government plans

SSE has also made it clear that if Stansted is included in the White Paper, it will not hesitate to pursue a legal challenge, either independently or in conjunction with other campaign groups and communities under threat.

SSE was successful in challenging the Government at the High Court in late 2002, leading to a seven month extension of the consultation which originally was only meant to last for 17 weeks.

Said SSE chairman, Norman Mead;

The coming months will be critical to our future and, while have much to be proud of on our first birthday, we won't be slackening our efforts to ensure that those responsible for drafting the White Paper, or for signing it off, are fully persuaded of the overwhelming case against building any more runways at Stansted and of the massive local opposition to any such proposals.

But the East of England Development Agency support the plans and comments;

For the high growth areas of Cambridge, parts of Hertfordshire, Norwich, Ipswich and around the transport gateways of Stansted, Felixstowe and Harwich, other sustainable infrastructure developments are identified which will overcome growth constraints.

Infrastructure which safeguards the environment and enhances quality of life must be encouraged, and a number of development corridors which focus on transport, communications and technology and land for redevelopment must be developed.

Battle lines are joined and Politics Show East reports on the issue.

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