London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Search representations
Results for South East Essex Friends of the Earth search
New searchObject
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
1 Introduction
Representation ID: 6179
Received: 05/04/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
The "Report Summary of Responses to Consultation" for the first phase of consultation on the JAAP indicates that "Despite some support, the majority of respondents were opposed to Scenario 3." It is therefore utterly ridiculous for RDC and SBC to describe phase 2 as the "Preferred Options" while pursuing the least popular Scenario.
Aviation expansion is inherently unsustainable due to limited resources (i.e. Peak Oil) and pollution emitted by aircraft (e.g. causing Climate Change). Any Sustainability Appraisal that supports the expansion of Southend Airport must therefore be wrong.
The "Report Summary of Responses to Consultation" for the first phase of consultation on the JAAP indicates that "Despite some support, the majority of respondents were opposed to Scenario 3." It is therefore utterly ridiculous for RDC and SBC to describe phase 2 as the "Preferred Options" while pursuing the least popular Scenario.
Aviation expansion is inherently unsustainable due to limited resources (i.e. Peak Oil) and pollution emitted by aircraft (e.g. causing Climate Change). Any Sustainability Appraisal that supports the expansion of Southend Airport must therefore be wrong.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
2 Assets, Opportunities and Constraints
Representation ID: 6181
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
To describe the Saxon Business Park as "award winning" when it doesn't yet exist and therefore cannot have won any awards is self-evidently dishonest. Likewise, there is no way to know at this stage that the airport "will be a successful regional passenger airport".
No mention of Peak Oil is made either in the "Preferred Options" or the "Sustainability Appraisal" documents. By 2021, it is likely that oil will be considerably more expensive than it was in 2008, making aviation, which already has extremely tight margins, economically unviable. Note that globally, aviation currently has a profit margin of 1%.
To describe the Saxon Business Park as "award winning" when it doesn't yet exist and therefore cannot have won any awards is self-evidently dishonest. Likewise, there is no way to know at this stage that the airport "will be a successful regional passenger airport".
No mention of Peak Oil is made either in the "Preferred Options" or the "Sustainability Appraisal" documents. By 2021, it is likely that oil will be considerably more expensive than it was in 2008, making aviation, which already has extremely tight margins, economically unviable. Note that globally, aviation currently has a profit margin of 1%.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
2 Assets, Opportunities and Constraints
Representation ID: 6183
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
Neil Punnett should realise that aviation accounts for 13% of current UK carbon emissions. With the Government seeking to double aviation by 2030, aviation alone would exceed the carbon limits in the Climate Change Act.
Rick Jackson should note that the "Saxon Business Park" is entirely separate from the proposed airport expansion and will provide non-aviation based employment. See "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax" by Brendon Sewill for a more realistic assessment of the employment opportunities an airport can provide.
Neil Punnett should realise that aviation accounts for 13% of current UK carbon emissions. With the Government seeking to double aviation by 2030, aviation alone would exceed the carbon limits in the Climate Change Act.
Rick Jackson should note that the "Saxon Business Park" is entirely separate from the proposed airport expansion and will provide non-aviation based employment. See "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax" by Brendon Sewill for a more realistic assessment of the employment opportunities an airport can provide.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 1
Representation ID: 6184
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
As previously described, airport expansion is fundamentally incompatible with the concept of sustainable development. Instead, a global policy of phased aviation reduction is required in order to cut greenhouse gases and preserve remaining oil supplies for more important uses: manufacturing, agriculture and surface transport.
As previously described, airport expansion is fundamentally incompatible with the concept of sustainable development. Instead, a global policy of phased aviation reduction is required in order to cut greenhouse gases and preserve remaining oil supplies for more important uses: manufacturing, agriculture and surface transport.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 1
Representation ID: 6186
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
The airport railway station is a classic example of "greenwash" - suggesting that using the train to get to and from the airport will make it more environmentally friendly is pure nonsense. The marginal savings made by using rail instead of a car are dwarfed by the aircraft emissions. An extra stop will also be a disbenefit to rail users not wishing to use the airport as it will increase journey times. Rochford station is sufficiently close that a minibus service between the station and the airport would be a better solution.
The airport railway station is a classic example of "greenwash" - suggesting that using the train to get to and from the airport will make it more environmentally friendly is pure nonsense. The marginal savings made by using rail instead of a car are dwarfed by the aircraft emissions. An extra stop will also be a disbenefit to rail users not wishing to use the airport as it will increase journey times. Rochford station is sufficiently close that a minibus service between the station and the airport would be a better solution.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 2
Representation ID: 6187
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
While modest employment growth at the site would be welcome, the growth proposed is both irresponsible and unachievable. Again, see Brendon Sewill's report "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax". The destruction of a number of areas of greenbelt in order to expand the industrial site is completely unnecessary given the abundance of available sites in Southend, such as the recently-demolished Prittlebrook Industrial Estate and vacant buildings elsewhere in the borough.
However, if the airport and councils believe job creation potential to be this great, the Section 106 agreement should require 5000 jobs to be created at the site within five years.
While modest employment growth at the site would be welcome, the growth proposed is both irresponsible and unachievable. Again, see Brendon Sewill's report "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax". The destruction of a number of areas of greenbelt in order to expand the industrial site is completely unnecessary given the abundance of available sites in Southend, such as the recently-demolished Prittlebrook Industrial Estate and vacant buildings elsewhere in the borough.
However, if the airport and councils believe job creation potential to be this great, the Section 106 agreement should require 5000 jobs to be created at the site within five years.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 3
Representation ID: 6189
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
Aviation growth is unsustainable and a phased aviation reduction strategy is the only way to successfully manage the environmental impacts of the airport.
It is necessary to limit industrial estate or "business park" growth to the existing boundaries. Loss of agricultural land is unacceptable given the need for the UK to become self-sufficient in food during the next 15-20 years as a consequence of Peak Oil.
If biofuel technologies are pursued, farmland will be put at even more of a premium. Thus, a wise planning authority will reuse all existing "brownfield" sites before permitting any agricultural or greenbelt land to be used.
Aviation growth is unsustainable and a phased aviation reduction strategy is the only way to successfully manage the environmental impacts of the airport.
It is necessary to limit industrial estate or "business park" growth to the existing boundaries. Loss of agricultural land is unacceptable given the need for the UK to become self-sufficient in food during the next 15-20 years as a consequence of Peak Oil.
If biofuel technologies are pursued, farmland will be put at even more of a premium. Thus, a wise planning authority will reuse all existing "brownfield" sites before permitting any agricultural or greenbelt land to be used.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 4
Representation ID: 6192
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
If issues i. and ii. are dealt with correctly, they will remove the need for any road "improvements" or new routes. As previously noted, the double-whammy of Peak Oil and Climate Change are conspicuous by their absence from all of the JAAP documents. In order to meet Climate Change Act targets, both local authorities will be required to achieve a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 and this will only be possible with a significant effort to reduce private car use. See http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/tyndall_climatereport_ccc2008.pdf
If issues i. and ii. are dealt with correctly, they will remove the need for any road "improvements" or new routes. As previously noted, the double-whammy of Peak Oil and Climate Change are conspicuous by their absence from all of the JAAP documents. In order to meet Climate Change Act targets, both local authorities will be required to achieve a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 and this will only be possible with a significant effort to reduce private car use. See http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/tyndall_climatereport_ccc2008.pdf
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Issue 5
Representation ID: 6196
Received: 31/03/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
Areas i, ii(a), ii(b), ii(c) and ii(d) should not change use as previously discussed.
Likewise, Area v's amenity value has been underestimated due to the presence of agricultural land, which will gain a great deal of value during the coming years.
While a Park and Ride facility is to be welcomed, its location in Area xi is not as it falls within the Public Safety Zone.
While it is recognised that planning permission has already been granted, area vii should not be used as a station due to the reasons previously noted, particularly the close proximity of Rochford station.
Areas i, ii(a), ii(b), ii(c) and ii(d) should not change use as previously discussed.
Likewise, Area v's amenity value has been underestimated due to the presence of agricultural land, which will gain a great deal of value during the coming years.
While a Park and Ride facility is to be welcomed, its location in Area xi is not as it falls within the Public Safety Zone.
While it is recognised that planning permission has already been granted, area vii should not be used as a station due to the reasons previously noted, particularly the close proximity of Rochford station.
Object
London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Policy E1 - General Development Considerations
Representation ID: 6198
Received: 01/04/2009
Respondent: South East Essex Friends of the Earth
As previously noted, the job creation potential of the JAAP is a wild exaggeration. See Brendon Sewill's "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax" at http://www.aef.org.uk/uploads/Airport_jobs___false_hopes_cruel_hoax.pdf
I have also written a report, specifically addressing the employment potential of the JAAP area, and this is available at http://saen.org.uk/reports/Employment_Report.pdf
As previously noted, the job creation potential of the JAAP is a wild exaggeration. See Brendon Sewill's "Airport jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax" at http://www.aef.org.uk/uploads/Airport_jobs___false_hopes_cruel_hoax.pdf
I have also written a report, specifically addressing the employment potential of the JAAP area, and this is available at http://saen.org.uk/reports/Employment_Report.pdf
