LUTON AIRPORT…..AGAIN!
My response to the pre-application scoping notification to the Secretary of State by London Luton Airport.
(A technical researched response by Herts. County Council, Central Beds Council, NHDC. Was submitted on 29th April)
Subject: RE: Expansion of London Luton Airport – EIA Scoping Notification and Consultation
The suggestion that junction modifications in and around Hitchin will make surface access to LLA acceptable is naive to say the least!
LLA accepts that there will be a massive increase in personal transport to the airport, by virtue of its current construction of massive multi storey car parks.
Hitchin is gridlocked now. The A505 into Luton is similar.
Our country lanes to the east of Luton are single track, "tarmacked" farm lanes, with few passing places, and are currently considered as "rat runs", used to access the airport, Luton, the M1, railway stations, and so on.
Proposed housing development of 2103 houses to the east of Luton, together with the recently passed Century Park business/light industrial area, beside the airport, and other current construction and housing projects, make the current infrastructure grossly inadequate.
It is noted that Luton has cynically reduced its proposal down from 38 million passengers per annum to 32 million.
This brings their plans, (temporarily?) to below the threshold which would require them to invest massively in new ground access infrastructure........there's nothing stopping them applying for a further increase later!
One has also to consider the massive increase in HGV and employee traffic.
I expect all of our Authorities to robustly oppose this greedy, unneighbourly, unnecessary, and unsuitable development proposal.
As if this isn’t enough, Luton Airport, owned by Luton Council, has applied to Luton Council to have the planning condition appended to the 2014 permission, to have the noise upper limit relaxed, up to 2014.
The reason given is that the previous expansion, up to 18 million passengers per annum (ppa) is being achieved much earlier that expected. Only 3% of aircraft using Luton are the newer type and quieter. SO…stop allowing movement over the agreed limit,…then you won’t need to allow more noise! If the new application for expansion is unsuccessful, there’s no need for any adjustment. 95% of Luton residents live outside of the allowed noise footprint,….why should we suffer, so that they can enjoy bigger profits?
I have responded, and been interviewed on Three Counties Radio. I will continue to be vigilent to all proposals which affect our right to a peaceful existence.
Councillor David Barnard
