11.03.10
The public inquiry into a second runway at Stansted may very well be delayed by as much as a couple of years, it has been reported. The inquiry had been set to start last April, but has been postponed after airport owner BAA was ordered to sell the airport, and once more recently until after the general election.
With the planning application initially submitted two years ago this month, Mark Forster, spokesperson for airport operator BAA, says time will be required to evaluate and bring up to date the airport’s planning application. He said: ‘As soon as the present uncertainty over ownership has been removed, BAA estimates a period of 12 to 18 months could be required to review and bring up to date the material.’
Campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion chairman Peter Sanders said: ‘BAA’s response to the secretary of state shows an appalling disregard for their local community. We have lived under the threat of a second runway for almost 8 years. The one honourable course open to BAA is to withdraw its applications and to offer a clear and unequivocal statement that it will not be making new applications for a project that creates blight without any actual prospect of success.’
Stansted spokesman Mark Davidson responded that the campaign group had been among the parties who objected to the inquiry's original timetable, whereas BAA and the inspector wanted it to proceed. However, in view of the fact that passengers at the airport shrunk by 10.5% during the last 12 months and it can in fact double in size with its current single runway, we have difficulty seeing when it will require the runway.
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