Lydd Airport Expansion - Cleared For Takeoff!

Shepway Council has approved applications for the expansion of Lydd Airport, under the banner of London Ashford Airport.

At 1:40am, after a mammoth six and a half hours of meeting, including three adjournements, the council voted to approve the recommendation having combined aspects of reports produced by the council’s consultants and the Lydd Ashford Airport group’s consultants.

Conservative Cllr Malcom Dearden then proposed accepting the revised application, which also involved him listing almost all planning policies in existence and gaining a round of applause for doing so. A last ditch attempt by the Lib Dems to stop the vote on account of unfamiliarity with the policies was quashed, and the motion passed.

This overturns the recommendation of the council’s officers, which was for refusal.

Over 15 speakers, including representatives of environmental groups, ward councillors and current MP Michael Howard spoke for and against the applications.

The majority of speakers were from environmental groups and spoke against the applications. Mr Matthew Horton QC, speaking for Lydd Action Airport Group (LAAG) the most vocal group against the application, called the proposals ‘damaging, dangerous and dispiriting.’

Concerns over the nuclear power station were occasionally raised. Mr Paul Black of Greatstone School Governors raised concerns over the effect on pupils’ education, as the school is only 600m from the site.

Speakers in favour of the application repeatedly highlighted the need for expansion to generate jobs. In a gutsy speech Caroline Chambers, formerly of the Channel Chamber of Commerce but speaking as a resident, asked ‘since when did newts become more important than people?’

A series of local ward councillors spoke of the importance of jobs and claimed that the ‘silent majority’ were in favour of expansion. Michael Howard MP spoke to assure councillors that they could vote against the planning officers’ recommendation without fear of legal challenge.

Not until 10:15 did the applications become open for debate by members of the council.

Conservative councillors generally supported the applications citing the need for jobs. Early on in the debate Conservative Cllr Malcom Dearden gave a long list of statistics highlighting the dire economic performance of Shepway and the Marsh in particular, before proposing that the council accept the applications subject to conditions.

As previously expected the Liberal Democrat group were strongly against the development. Shepway Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Lynne Beaumont repeatedly stated that some of the evidence presented was misinformation, and that consultants used by Lydd Ashford Airport had been ‘paid to sell their story.’

Cllr Beaumont raised concerns that councillors should be in the chamber with pre-prepared notes and speeches in favour of the application. Council Officer Jeremy Chambers clarified that this was acceptable as pre-prepared briefings did not mean councillors could not change their mind during the debate.

Cllr Beaumont also questioned if any of the jobs in the plans were full time or not and whether the airport would lead to a net loss of jobs on the Marsh due to the negative effects of airport expansion.

Lib Dem Councillors repeatedly expressed concerns that to accept the applications would go against legal guidance. Lib Dem Tim Prater concentrated on this, saying the decision was not about weighing up pros and cons, but about a test on the issue of reasonable doubt, a point which appeared to have little impact on the debate.

Later in the debate the Council’s legal adviser cautioned that if councillors were not satisfied beyond reasonable scientific doubt that environmental regulations were not going to be broken they would have to reject the applications.

These points were repeatedly clarified to members, showing a great deal of concern in the chamber over the legal constraints and risk of appeals.

Conservative Cllr Gane asked how up to 500,000 passengers would get to the airport given the poor infrastructure in the area and the lack of a direct rail link.

Most questions followed similar themes with some colourful interjections. Most Conservative Councillors spoke of the need for jobs in the area and it was repeatedly claimed that the ‘silent majority’ were in fact in favour of the application.

Conservative Cllr Ewart-Jones noted often objectors make the largest noise, and many letters objecting to the development are ‘round-robin’ letters (wasn’t this mentioned somewhere before?) and added that councillors, like King Canute, ‘cannot stop the tide of progress.’

Conservative Cllr Carole Waters said she felt ‘very aggrieved’ and ‘worried’ that Natural England were designating large areas as ‘special interest’ and holding up development on the Marsh, although she expressed concern for Greatstone school.

Cllr Beaumont later said the council had voted for the expansion of protected zones, after consultation with Natural England.

Conservative Cllr Love, emphasised the need to have a more holistic view of what is good for the district as a whole. Conservative Russell Tillson said he needed assurances on the net number of jobs, the quality of jobs and that jobs would go to local people and expressed concerns that development scare tourists away from the Marsh.

Comparing the relationship between nature and airports to the relationship between John Terry and Wayne Bridge, Cllr Tillson appeared to be the most cautious Conservative speaker on the night, and  was in the minority that voted against the application.

Although the applications have been approved, the decision is likely to be looked at by the Government and could be the subject of lengthy appeals processes.