Newham Council Planning Department are finally held to rights and ARE responsible for consulting directly with residents in Greenwich and all adjoining occupiers (meaning boroughs)! This is thanks to dedicated campaigners across the boroughs with the expertise of Airport Watch, Friends of the Earth and the Environmental Law Foundation.When on January 14 our resident campaigners in the Borough of Greenwich (which had not been consulted) reported that they had received London City Airport application consultation letters dated January 7 from Newham Council, we were pleasantly surprised to say the least. Since October they have been waiting, and waiting for somebody to consult with them.
However, as all residents are entitled to have 4 weeks in which to respond to requests for objections - we have requested that the deadline to objections, currently February 6, should be extended to allow residents a full 4 weeks in which to consider the application. We are also asking how many residents have been written to, the radius and if this consultation is extending to the other neighbouring boroughs.
Yes, it may seem as if a miracle occured sometime over Christmas, that or Newham Council finally began to realise that they were not going to slip this application through as quietly as they had hoped and flout the Town and Country Planning Order (General Development Procedure) 1995. This act requires the determining local authority (Newham) to notify adjoining occupiers.
Sadly it's not the first time that Newham seem to have flouted this law, we're already aware that an application by London City Airport in January 2007 ( to increase the number of flights permitted in any one day) was slipped through quietly, at many residents loss. But Fight the Flights is watching events and developments closely now.....
If you are in a borough which is affected but have not been consulted - then quote the Town and Planning Act listed here to your local planning department and request that they ensure Newham Council consult you too.
