ARCHIVE

THE THREAT HAS STILL NOT GONE AWAY

 The First Olympics Proposal was rejected by 44 to 8 in full Council and Executive meetings held on 21^st March 2011 – a NO vote of 80% by Bromley Councillors.  

You should now have received Bromley’s letter of 23 June, announcing a ‘public consultation’ on BHAL’s Second Olympics Proposal.   In this Proposal, the extra hours sought outside the Lease have been reduced from 26 to 15 per week and from approx 11 weeks to 8 weeks. The fare-paying passenger proposal has been dropped. 

But the underlying intention is still to change the Terms of the Lease on a permanent basis.  This Second Olympics Proposal is yet another real threat to the present Lease.  The Airport MD, Jennifer Munroe, has already written to all Councillors promoting the new Proposal – and has publicly declared BHAL’s intent to seek permanent changes to the Lease. 

We realize that this is a considerable nuisance to residents, but we do urge that you should once again object to the BHAL proposals by writing to the Council - by letter or email - before the closing date for the public consultation. 5pm on Friday 29^th July 2011  

Address your e-mails to airport.consultation@bromley.gov.uk  or send letters to Renewal and Recreation Dept., Airport Consultation, Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley, BR1 3UH. 

In Summary,

Yet another attempt to change the Lease   BHAL is still trying to change the Lease, but so far they have failed several times under the weight of residents’ objections and in the Courts.  Their failure must continue if we are to keep the protection of the Lease for our environment. The Changes are “Temporary” for the Olympics  Perhaps, but BHAL publicity does not mention their intentions for later permanent changes   Residents are still being misled. Only” Another 15 Operating Hours a Week – but all in the early morning and late evening. Increased Revenue for Bromley  - will be peanuts  The profit is BHAL’s and any increase in daily business flights can easily be handled within the existing operating hours and further extensions are totally unnecessary.              

Cudham RA is working in association with BRAAD [Bromley Residents Against Airport Development], a Coalition of RAs, other Groups and residents, opposed to further development of Biggin Hill Airport. BRAAD sees no reason for operating beyond the terms of the Lease, agreed both by Biggin Hill Airport Ltd. and by Bromley Council

If the present application is agreed by the Council, relaxing the ban will set a precedent for BHAL to exploit and would destroy the protection the Lease gives to all residents. It would waste all the hard work and taxpayers’ money spent by the Council in defending the Lease for all these years and residents would then be forced to live with the likely consequences forever.  

If you agree that the Lease should not be amended for BHAL’s 2012 Olympics Proposals – please write to Bromley Council with your views before the cut-off date for public comment. 

Proforma

You may like to use the prepared letter (click here) but your own letter will be every bit as effective . Write your address on the top, sign the letter, and print your name. 

Please add your personal reasons for objecting in the space provided.  You can also ask family and friends to send their objections too.  

Every individual letter received by the Council will count  

Reasons why you may feel these proposals are not in the interests of local residents might include: 

   # extending flights by 15 hours a week into late nights and early mornings, thus setting a precedent for changing that section of the Lease in the future

   # negligible financial benefits to Bromley Council’s tax-paying residents, or to local businesses, in relation to the costs and penalties, suffered by large numbers of residents.  .

   # increased safety concerns for our hospitals and schools, chemical & noise pollution, etc.

Closing date for consultation is 17:00 on Friday 29 July 2011.

=============

Biggin Hill Airport has applied to increase / extend the operating hours of the airport to service the requirements of an increase in air traffic movements associated with the Olympics in 2012. The following documents will assist residents in understanding the proposal and the issues involved.