Fight the Flights, which campaigns against the proposed expansion of London City Airport , has called on Newham Council to reject the application from Red Bull for a second airport in the borough. The drinks giant wants to create an airport, including runway, at the Royals Business Park to use during their annual air races. According to their planning application published this week, they want helipads and taxiway, aircraft hangers and control tower on the north side of Royal Albert Dock. Newham councillors will be asked to approve the scheme to cover the air events that take place along the River Thames up to 2015.
Anne-Marie Griffin, who chairs Fight the Flights, said, “Have the people of East London not suffered enough? MPs and local authorities from right across East London are receiving more complaints than ever before about the noise from the jets using City Airport . And now we have this proposal. We really just don’t believe Red Bull is proposing to spend all this money on a new airport just to use it for the occasional event. We fear they will come back time and again for permission to increase the use of the new airport, just as owners of City Airport have done over the years. ”
Last week Fight the Flights heard that it had been granted permission to go to the High Court to challenge Newham’s decision last year to give City Airport permission to increase the number of flights using the airport by 50%.
ENDS
For more information:
Anne-Marie Griffin on 07984 300558;
Alan Haughton on 07905156922
Press Release dated 12/1/10
