Lydd Airport Action Group (LAAG)

Following an email from DM of Greatstone: 

i am getting very concerned about the impact the proposals for the expansion of Lydd Airport will have on the environment.

and from PF of Greatstone

I am writing to tell you about the Lydd Airport Action Group (LAAG) and to ask for your support.

LAAG represents people who are opposed to the expansion of Lydd Airport.

Plans recently unveiled by the airport's new management, show that they want to expand facilities to cater for 2 million passengers by 2011 and 6 million by 2021, and a formal planning application is expected soon.

LAAG is opposed to any plans that involve the expansion of the runway as this brings large aircraft into the area and creates unacceptably high levels of noise and air pollution, degrading the living conditions of local residents and harming the surrounding, fragile, nationally and internationally important ecological habitats of Romney Marsh.

We would ask the help of the Dungeness website Club by:

 a) asking your vistors to visit our website at www.lyddairportaction.co.uk and registering their           support using our online form, and/or

b) including a paragraph on your website about LAAG, together with a link to our site, and/or

c) mentioning LAAG in your publications eg leaflets, newsletters etc.

and/or

d) displaying posters

I do hope you will help us by undertaking all of these.

Having a large airport on our doorstep will cause us harm in so many ways and we need to all work together to ensure it does not happen.Dungeness may never be the same again!

we comment

Thanks for mail re concerns about the local airport. There is an action group in the area who are opposed to the 'proposed expansion' and I will be putting their bumph on the web as soon as I get some feedback from the airport itself.

The main concern would seem to be over the hype of increasing the passenger turnover to 2 million in the next few years. According to Shepway Council the operators at Lydd already have a certificate to handle this volume of traffic without further reference to anyone. The only time the council will get involved is if planning permission is sought for the extension of the runway and or terminal buildings. Then the matter will be open to public debate but it would seem that the council is supportive of any expansion that will bring greater prosperity to the area.

With regards to the impact on the area you only have to look at Stansted, where in the sixties there was uproar over the expansion but after everything settled down the area has prospered beyond all expectations.

House prices will soar and hundreds of jobs will be created which could help offset the effects of Dungeness A closing.

There will inevitably be additional noise but unlike inland airports 90% of this noise will be out to sea and only those directly under the flight-path being affected.

Overall any increase in traffic will bring prosperity to the area but I get the impression those who complain loudest are those comfortably off. They aren't particularly interested in those who are out of work or the fact that the area needs an injection of wealth. I suspect also that those who do shout loudest take their overseas holidays by flying from airports somewhere else that affect others - but as long ass its not in their back yard that's ok.

If you think back to the outcry when the nuclear power stations were to be constructed (if you are indeed a local going back to the sixties). As time went by everything settled down - safeguards are put in place and apart from the odd so called friends of the earth we all seem to accept things for what they are. In any event if we are to have airports, nuclear power stations, deep sea ports is it not far better to have them away from built up areas - even though it will affect a few?