 Press Release - 29 October 2007 |
LUNCH WITH LORD HANNINGFIELD RAISES £1200
Lord Hanningfield, Leader of Essex County Council and the Conservative Party's spokesman on transport in the House of Lords was guest of honour at a special Sunday lunch yesterday (28 October) organized by the people of Little Easton in aid of Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE).
Shirley Holden and her team of five raised a staggering £1200 for SSE's second runway fighting fund from the roast gammon lunch which was attended by some 75 people. The planning application from BAA for a second runway at Stansted is expected shortly – BAA says by the end of the year – in the face of vigorous opposition from across the region.
Lord Hanningfield, whose family has farmed in Hanningfield, Essex, for over 400 years, was invited as guest speaker at the event by Little Easton farmer Frank Bennett who used to farm with him some 30 years ago.
In his address Lord Hanningfield spoke of the continued commitment by Essex County Council to opposing a second runway at Stansted and a determination to do everything possible in conjunction with its local authority allies to overturn the threat to wide swathes of Essex and the counties beyond. He referred to the success of the judicial reviews already undertaken to challenge Stansted's expansion in 2002 and 2004 in parallel with SSE and the opportunities which lay ahead for working together.
SSE had, said Lord Hanningfield, done a great job which must be continued with vigilant, strong campaigning. The Government's focus on Heathrow and the financial difficulties of BAA's parent company also gave Lord Hanningfield cause to wonder whether the proposals for Stansted might mean further delay on the horizon.
Peter Sanders, SSE Chairman, gave the vote of thanks saying that "The more support SSE gets, the better we can do. We put up an enormously strong case at the recent public inquiry but are nevertheless faced with the prospect of another application very soon whose impacts will touch villages and towns across the region."
ENDS
See photographs
FURTHER INFORMATION
Carol Barbone, Campaign Director, SSE: M 0777 552 3091, cbarbone@mxc.co.uk
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