Press Release - 9 July 2007

Terry Waite CBE was the guest of honour at a Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) picnic in Broxted yesterday (Sunday 8 July) at the SSE Wood which he inaugurated three years ago in his capacity as Patron of the campaign group.

The wood at Broxted Hill, near Great Dunmow, Essex was planted in 2004 by SSE members as a symbol of their determination that a second runway will never be built at Stansted. The saplings are already well established and have benefited from the regular care of a volunteer team including farmer Peter Smith on whose land the wood is planted.

In all, 300 people took part in the picnic, blessed by the beautiful weather. Terry Waite spoke passionately about the need to protect not only local communities but also to fight against the proposals which so threaten the global environment and future generations. Organisers were delighted that he also spent so much time talking to many of those who were present - some from as far afield as Hastings, North Norfolk and even Birmingham.

"At one time, it looked like a second runway was a foregone conclusion," said Mr Waite. "It still has to be fought against, but there is no longer such a clear cut case. We are fighting to get our messages about airport expansion through on two fronts, against the expansion of flights and passenger numbers, and we are fighting because the proposals would affect the whole infrastructure of this part of Essex. People think of Essex as urban, but the vast majority is rural and North West Essex in particular has some of the most wonderful buildings and priceless heritage in our land."

Terry Waite also raised the problem of climate change: "If development went ahead we would all be affected. The first loss would be our heritage, something which could never be replaced. Then there would be the contribution to environmental pollution, more than a doubling of carbon dioxide emissions from the present five million tonnes annually from airport operations to some 12 million tonnes with a second runway. It is a dreadful thought. You only have to look at recent history to see the effects of climate change. We know that carbon emissions from aviation are a major contributory factor."

Peter Sanders, SSE Chairman, said: "This wood symbolises our determination to protect this wonderful part of the Essex countryside and make sure that the threat that hangs over it never materialises. Graham Eyre, the Inspector at the 1981-83 Public Inquiry, said that a second runway would be an environmental catastrophe, a major disaster, a monster, and that is what we are determined to stop."

ENDS

See some of the photographs

NOTES FOR EDITORS

An application for a second runway is expected to be made in November 2007 to be followed by a Public Inquiry of 18-24 months, starting next year. However, even the Government acknowledges that 2015 is the earliest date by which a second runway at Stansted could be ready – in the unlikely event that it was granted planning permission.

According to the latest proposals for a second runway announced by BAA last January, 73 homes in the parishes of Broxted and Takeley would be bulldozed, including 18 Grade II listed buildings. Dozens more would become virtually uninhabitable because of their proximity to an expanded airport with a second runway. Thousands of people in the immediate area and across the region would also suffer from the broader impacts of expansion, while carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the airport’s operations would leap from the current 5 million tonnes per year to 12 million tonnes.

In terms of land grab, BAA’s second runway proposals would mean that:

*  Almost 5 km2 of land would be needed for an enlarged airport with a 2.2 km runway, 42 aircraft stands, new passenger terminal, car parking, control tower and associated on-site development.
*  4 country wildlife sites, 5.2 km of rivers, 5.7 km of public rights of way and 6.8 km of local roads would be affected.
*  2.1 km2 of woodland would disappear while 3.9 km2 of areas of special landscape value and 4.7 km2 of high quality landscape area would be lost.

Massive opposition by SSE and elected representatives across the region has already pushed back proposals for a second runway by four years beyond the Government’s original target date for completion of 2011/12.

Meanwhile, the outcome of the Public Inquiry which runs until October into BAA’s plans for unlimited passenger use of the airport’s single runway and an increase in the number of permitted aircraft movements is not likely to be known until spring 2008.

FURTHER INFORMATION, MORE DETAILS OF SPEECHES AND PICTURES

Carol Barbone, SSE Campaign Director, M 0777 552 3091 and cbarbone@mxc.co.uk