Lydd Airport Inquiry

Damian Collins MP: Written Supplementary to evidence given to the planning inquiry at the Civic Centre in Folkestone on 5th July 2011

Shepway as a whole, and Romney Marsh in particular, badly needs to attract investment and jobs. Romney Marsh is already a deprived area, with little opportunity for employment. At a time when the future of the power station at Dungeness is uncertain, we cannot afford to throw away the opportunity that investment in the airport’s development represents. There are a number of points that are worth stressing:

An airport at Lydd is not a new thing. There has been an active airport at Lydd since the 1950s. Shepway’s approval of the planning application gives greater control over the airport. Currently, it is free to operate through the night but this will end under the new plans. Development would not be a risk to the power station.

The Health and Safety Executive has stated that an expanded Lydd Airport would not be a risk to Dungeness power station. Lydd airport is, of course, located near to nature reserves. But this is not unusual, Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport being a good comparison. The methods proposed to keep birds away from the airfield are currently in use at Lydd, and have not deterred birds from visiting the nature reserves around Dungeness.

Investment in the local economy is essential. According to the 2010 English Index of Multiple Deprivation, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government, Romney Marsh is significantly more deprived compared to the South East average. On income, employment, health and disability, educations skills and learning, and on barriers to housing and services, Romney Marsh is significantly more deprived than the South East average. On the overall deprivation ranking, Romney Marsh is shown to be very significantly more deprived than the South East average. Around a third of young people (18-24) are unemployed and claim Jobseekers Allowance. Pupils at the five Marsh primary schools are achieving significantly less (56 %) at Key Stage Two achieving Level 4 or higher compared to the Kent average (70%) and nationally (73%) and especially with their counterparts at Saltwood, Seabrook and Sandgate (which range from 83-100%).

Investment in Lydd Airport as a small regional airport would bring direct benefits to the local population and to the country as a whole. By providing extra capacity, it would relieve some of the pressure on other airports in the region. It would provide desperately-needed employment (the airport’s plans anticipate up to 200 new jobs) at a time when significant local employers such as Pfizer are disappearing. The airport would, of course, also provide a convenient service to local people. It is important to stress that, whilst the local benefits in employment and service provision are substantial, the airport’s plans are modest. The development does not mean that larger aircraft can use the airport, but that aircraft of the same size can operate with a full payload. The plans would allow for an average of only 16 flights a day at an airport where movements in the past have been much greater.

The airport will have to exist within noise and air quality restrictions, but the airport’s plans involve little increase in any noise pollution, and I understand that no case has been made to support a claim that air quality would be detrimentally affected. I am particularly pleased to note the airport’s commitment to a noise insulation scheme normally only associated with larger airports – including for Greatstone Primary School. I attended the test flight in 2007, and I was impressed by the result. I acknowledge that opinion is somewhat divided on this point, but it is worth noting some of the comments from residents at the time which were quoted in the local press (Folkestone Herald, 1 March 2007): John Hayden: “I have to say that we get more noise round here from traffic.” Roy Meakin: “As long as it is sympathetically developed I am not against it.” Danny Fortune: “I’ve got a grandson who can’t get a job. As far as the tests are concerned, it was no noisier than normal.” John Bolton: “It didn’t bother me. The expansion is good because it will bring work down here and that is what is needed.”

I would like in particular to address the irresponsible scare put about by some of those campaigning against the airport’s development, that it would put the nuclear power station at risk. This entirely ignores the Office of Nuclear Regulation’s advice and has needlessly frightened local people. The Government Response to the Consultation on the draft NPSs for Energy Infrastructure states that the Office of Nuclear Regulation “has advised that the risks to the existing Dungeness power stations from the proposed expansion of Lydd Airport have been considered to be acceptable… the ONR has confirmed that it has raised no objection to the expansion of Lydd Airport”. The Government’s localism agenda, by which we want to make decisions as locally as we can, is being advanced in the Localism Bill currently before Parliament. I believe that proper consideration should be given to the fact that Shepway District Council has approved the planning application, the local Member of Parliament supports the application, and there is widespread support for the application amongst local people. Proper consideration ought also to be given to the Government’s view that a presumption in favour of economic growth should play an important part of consideration of planning applications. Finally, I would draw the inquiry’s attention to HM Treasury’s document, The Plan for Growth, published to accompany the Budget this year. This sets out the Government’s plans for “radical changes to the planning system to support job creation by introducing a powerful presumption in favour of sustainable development”. The airport’s plans for development could produce 200 new jobs. With around 100 unemployed young people in the Romney Marsh area, I believe that there can be no justification at all to turn down the opportunity that this development represents.