Airport expansion report attacked

Airport planners want a longer runway and new terminal building

The owners of an airport at the centre of a row about a runway extension have attacked a report rejecting their plan.

Lydd Airport managing director Cliff Spink said he was "bitterly disappointed" by Shepway Council's 155-page report on the project.

The airport claims the planners' recommendations "have nothing to do with protecting nature at Dungeness".

The council said they had every confidence in the "accuracy, veracity and robustness of the report".

A meeting to discuss the future of the London Ashford Airport at Lydd had been due to take place on Friday but will now be held on 23 September.

Shepway District Council (SDC) said the decision to move the date followed a request by the owners of the airport.

Mr Spink said: "Having read the report produced by the officers I am stunned and more than a little angered by their conclusions.

"I hope that moving the date of the meeting back to September will give Shepway councillors more time to study the report and realise that the airport development will not be detrimental to the environment."

The few ecological arguments remaining against the airports plans are now wafer thin Dr Mark McLellan

The council said: "It is not surprising that the owners of London Ashford Airport (Lydd) have challenged the recommendation to refuse the planning applications for the airport's expansion and refute the findings of the environmental assessment on which the recommendation was based.

"Although we certainly don't want to get into a public debate before the matter goes to full council in September, we can state that we have every confidence in the accuracy, veracity and robustness of the assessment and our report. "

Lydd Airport's ecological advisor Dr Mark McLellan added: "After a great deal of environmental work over the last four years it appears that only three or four issues divide the council's environmental advisors and ourselves.

"These issues are, by SDC's own admission, small scale effects.

"The few ecological arguments remaining against the airports plans are now wafer thin, and I vigorously disagree with the conclusions of the council's ecological advisors that the integrity of European wildlife sites at and near to the airport would be affected."

'Incredibly damaging'

The area in Romney Marsh is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Those against the expansion plans fear it will be damaging for residents' quality of life and for the environment.

Following the publication of the council's report Dr Hilary Newport, director of Protect Kent, said: "It has been apparent from the start that expansion of Lydd Airport just won't work and will be incredibly damaging for local residents' quality of life and for the environment.

"The two-month delay suggests that Shepway District Council seem to have bowed to pressure from the airport because their officers did not give them the answer they wanted.

"If the council do approve the scheme in September then it will almost certainly lead to a public inquiry and the only winners from that will be the planning lawyers."