PLANNING BILL CHALLENGE

12.28.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Jul 2008

Local MP Susan Kramer, together with other MPs opposed to Heathrow expansion, will challenge clauses in the Planning Bill related to Heathrow in a debate in Parliament on Wednesday, 25 June.

The Planning Bill proposes the introduction of a new development consent system for nationally significant projects like airports. The Bill would see a new Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) take decisions on major infrastructure proposals.

The Government has expanded the original scope of the bill to include not just 'the construction or alteration of an airport' but also any changes which add major capacity without additional physical infrastructure.

Susan Kramer said: "It has been bad enough that the Government intends to pass decisions on a third runway at Heathrow to an unelected body (the Infrastructure Planning Commission). But new language in the bill suggests that this body will also be able to decide on ending runway alternation. These are political decisions and the Government should have the guts not to hide behind a Quango."

Susan Kramer added "Any attempt by Government to end our current half day of respite from aircraft noise would devastate our community. I will be fighting this in the House of Commons on Thursday as well as supporting the ongoing campaign by people near and far to end the madness of airport expansion in SE England."