 Press
Release - 9 March 2004 |
SIR ALAN HASELHURST TO LEAD SSE PUBLIC MEETING IN SAFFRON WALDEN - WEDNESDAY, 17 MARCH
Saffron Walden MP Sir Alan Haselhurst is to join members of Stop Stansted
Expansion (SSE) and local councillors to lead a public meeting for the
people of Saffron Walden, highlighting the threat to their quality of life
that airport expansion would pose.
The meeting, to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17 March at Saffron Walden
Town Hall, is open to all members of the community.
Uttlesford Chairman and Saffron Walden Town Councillor Mike Hibbs,
Uttlesford Leader Cllr Alan Dean and Stop Stansted Expansion Chairman Norman
Mead will all take part. A question and answer session will form the major
part of the event following presentations from the panel.
Sir Alan's strong opposition to the scale of development at Stansted is well
documented. It reflects his deep-rooted concerns about the impact on not
only the immediate airport area but the wider effects across the region,
including Saffron Walden. “The implications of Stansted Airport expansion
for Saffron Walden are severe,” he said, urging local people to attend the
meeting and hear for themselves how they would be affected. “SSE is right to
keep the town informed about what can be done to maintain opposition.”
The meeting is particularly timely since BAA has now announced that in 12
months time it will apply to increase the number of passengers traveling
through Stansted from the limit of 25 million passengers per annum (mppa) to
up to 35 mppa. This would mean more than double the number of planes that
at present.
BAA has also signaled its intention to apply within 18 months to build a
second runway here. This would increase the throughput from the current 18
mppa to a massive 80 mppa, far exceeding the size of Heathrow Airport (63
mppa). There is no denying that the adverse effects of such major expansion
would be inescapable for towns such as Saffron Walden, both from the
sizeable increase in the number of planes and related noise and pollution,
as well as from the extreme pressure on health, transport, education and
housing services.
ENDS
Saffron Walden Town Hall is in Market Square, Saffron Walden.
Further information is available from:
Carol Barbone, Campaign Director, Stop Stansted Expansion 0777 552 3091
Norman Mead, Chairman, Stop Stansted Expansion 01279 659483
Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign Office 01279 870558
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