Stansted Development - A step nearer?

[Admiral Huddy]

I can’t hide my sadness of this news. If anyone knows the Uttlesford area, they’ll know that this is one of the most beautiful parts of Essex if not the Southeast. The surrounding areas such as Thaxted, Great Dunmow, the Easters, Saffron Waldon etc are like time warp villages.

I fail to understand why the government would even consider this proposal in an age where we need to combat Global Warming. Surely we need to discourage the use of air travel not encourage it. This completely contradicts everything the government have said about the reduction of air pollution in the UK. Makes a hole a mockery of the whole damn thing.. Hey, you switch of your lights and turn your washing machine to 30oc, and we’ll fly more planes!!

Ten million extra passengers a year would put a massive strain on local infrastructure, which has only just been changed to accommodate the one runway it has already.

That 2.2bn would certainly buy a few more wind farms, which would be far more welcome.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/6312321.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/6312321.stm)


http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/


What do you think?

[Mark]

The problem with Thaxted, and to some extent Dunmow (though not as much), is that they'll be closer to the flight path for the new runway. Dunmow is far enough away that it'll probably escape the worst (at least I hope so - although we've just gained a new Travelodge), but I'm not sure about Thaxsted.

Yes, there is some beautiful scenery around there, and some little hamlets that'll get wiped off the map, which is a great shame.

Believe it or not, I was around that area (including several places that would be airfield under the proposed scheme) for the first time over Christmas, so I now know what you mean where I wouldn't have before.

[Desmo]

Agree with you Huddy. Let's knock up flight taxes to cut back on air travel whilst building more runways. What a joke.

[Admiral Huddy]

Agree with you Huddy. Let's knock up flight taxes to cut back on air travel whilst building more runways. What a joke.

Surrounding towns like Bishops's Stortford, Chelmsford and Braintree would be crippled further as development and growth go beyond acceptable limits.

[Pebs]

Did you get the stuff throught the mail too Huddy? I've not had chance to read it yet but am I right in thinking its a done deal already?

:(

[Admiral Huddy]

Did you get the stuff throught the mail too Huddy? I've not had chance to read it yet but am I right in thinking its a done deal already?

:(


No I haven't, I guess it will be coming.

I'm not really sure. As far as I'm aware local council have rejected the request but like most thing in this un-democratic society we live in, it can be overturned by central government and this is BAAs plan.

[Mark]

Disagree with that. Unlike the other public transport, there's still big money in air transportation, otherwise we wouldn't have had the recent multi-billion bidding war for BAA. Given that money isn't the biggest issue, while there's demand they're going to get built.

Thing is, we still need business transport, but with all these low fare airlines popping up, we're getting the droves of holidaymakers as well. It's the latter that is the biggest environmental problem right now (that's not to say that the former isn't an environmental problem). The Government clearly isn't going to say no like that to big business - we're having enough trouble keeping some big firms in this country when it's cheaper abroad, so if we start screwing up transport links (as if they weren't bad enough already) the consequences probably wouldn't be nice.

We can all go around saying 'no, never, not in my back yard', but if we want big business, then we'd better have the infrastructure for it. I'm absolutely fine with discouraging holidaymakers, and at some point in the future demand may well reduce, but I doubt that's any time soon, so digging in with the 'no, never' attitude isn't going to be very helpful.

I'm on the fence on this one - I don't like the environmental impact, but I recognise that there's still a need for transport links. Not being in the area all the time probably counts for quite a lot with this attitude - though most of my family is still in the area and my parents will be affected (and if they get a place on the new estate up by Tescos in Dunmow, they'll be nearer, not further away).

[Admiral Huddy]

I hear what you are saying Mark. There is a need for better transport links but it should be concentrated on the British transport system not the airports. Better cheaper public transport for example.

It's no good having having more runways, airports and flights only for trade and passengers to be bottle-necked on the roads and trains. There has to be a ceiling and cutoff. You can't keep on expanding each time the economy shows growth or demand says so.

[Zirax]

The surrounding area of Dunmow is exceptional. I really enjoy both going for a drive and a good cycle around there. In terms of housing, its going to knock thousands off the value of houses in the flight path.

As has been said the villages are almost a time warp and the countryside is excellent. It will make housing prices in Chelmsford go through the roof.

The existing chelmsford platform can't cope and it will only get worse. Sure there is the stansted express, but still the numbers at chelmsford will increase.

For everything that is against this I can see this going ahead. Each few years they try to put it through, wrecking the area.... luckily we have managed to rebuff them so far. It looks like a matter of time until they win.

[Desmo]

I've not had chance to read it yet but am I right in thinking its a done deal already?

:(
Of course it is. There's big money for all parties involved, sod the public :p


Me cynical? Never ;)

[mejinks]

Saving energy doesn't make any money for the government. More planes=more oppertunity to tax the public.

They are building a relief road for the M4 around Newport, but they plan to charge for this new relief road while reducing the speed limit of the old but perfectly good motorway to 40 mph.

As an aside to my disgust at government and council, there are plans for 120 starter homes where the prices are much reduced for first time buyers, but they were sold out almost as soon as they went on sale. Who bought them? Family members of one of the councillors who is to have a street down there named after him.

No doubt when the homes are built they will sell off the houses at a profit, thus making the whole idea useless.

[Feek]

I don't have any problem with the planned expansions at Stansted. If there were a petition to sign in favour of it, I'd happily sign it. The airport is a busy one now and it needs to be improved and this will bring a lot of benefits, improved transport and employment to the area.

[Admiral Huddy]

Why is there an unemployment problem in the area? I'm sorry but the only jobs this will be creating is for more people from overseas seeking employment over here.

Expansion can only go to some point. When two are built they'll want a third and so on. When does stop. Heathrow for example.

[Desmo]

I don't have any problem with the planned expansions at Stansted.
I'm 50/50 on the actual airport. I can see the benefits of it but it's at the cost of local residents and some beautiful areas.
I don't see unemployment an issue either. Yes, it will create more jobs but they will be filled by people moving to the area. There aren't thousands of local people out of work just waiting for an airport to appear.

What I do REALLY have a problem with is the governments moaning about air pollution and taxing us for it whilst sanctioning larger airports.

[Goose]

Although I am a grass strip person, I'm happy to have more runways. I do feel we are taking the wrong route though, as just expanding into the countryside is a very bad way to do things. Problem is, it is the easiest way. :(

[Justsomebloke]

Can you imagine what the 2 lane approach on the A14/M11 link will be like around Cambridge. I know this gorgeous manor real well and still travel through it to my daughters. That nice stretch of motorway they sorted from Stanstead to my turn off at Braintree has saved me around 20 minutes though. I like development that helps travel but i don't like the effects it has overall.
I saw a real interesting show the other day about Global warming and global dimming. After the Towers were hit by planes there was virtually no planes in the air over America for 3 days, temps went up because the con trails that contribute to global dimming were not protecting us from global warming. Apparently the more succesful we are with combating dimming the worse the effects of warming will be. Also the effects of dimming has confused the figures and warming is about 10 times worse than we first thought. Scarey stuff.
I am not thinking straight at the mo and wondering what state the world will be in for my grandchildren is not helping. I have friends and pikey and gorger family in Saffron Walden, Bishops Stortford & around the Dunmow area, it really is a lovely place. So is Stansted or it was years ago, i really dont know whether development and the price our future generations will pay will be worth it.
You have to wonder if future generations will look back on us with disgust for what we have done to the planet.

[Morba]

i have to agree, this expansion is a bad idea.
for such a small country we already have the busiest airport in the world, which happens to be a short drive from standsted, as well as gatwick which is not much further away.

[Nutcase]

I'd much rather have a bit of trouble getting a flight than see acres of beautiful countryside and historic and beautiful architecture bulldozed.