Youngsters protest at airport expansion
Dozens of youngsters dressed up as their favourite animals and met to voice their opposition to London Luton Airport’s expansion plans, which directly threaten nearly 30 hectares (74 acres) of irreplaceable ancient woodland.
The airport owner has outlined a masterplan for a vast expansion with a new 3km long runway, to pave the way for a three-fold increase in passenger numbers within the next 10 years - from 7.5 million a year to 23.5 million by 2015.
But local schoolchildren, dressed as their favourite woodland creatures, held a protest in a bid to press fellow objectors to have their say on the airport expansion before a fast approaching deadline of 27 January 2006. The youngsters’ rally coincided with a demonstration outside Luton Borough Council’s headquarters, as the local authority’s executive met to discuss the airport masterplan.
Ed Pomfret, of the Woodland Trust, warned the proposed new runway would see four ancient woods razed to the ground.
He added: “These sites are among our richest habitat for wildlife, they are irreplaceable and we must do all we can to stop their destruction around Luton. But that’s not all - aviation is the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change and is the biggest long-term threat to ancient woodland.
“The protest by these young people has given a voice to the forgotten victims of this proposed expansion – the animals and habitats that can’t speak for themselves.
“We have just a few days left to let the owners of Luton Airport know that these proposals are unacceptable to anyone who believes our natural world should be protected. We are asking people to log on and write in to try to block these destructive proposals.”
London Luton Airport’s plan also flies in the face of new government protection for ancient woodland. The threatened sites include George Wood, Withstocks Wood, Winchill Wood, Sewetts Wood / Hurst Wood.
To find out more and see what you can do log on to www.woodland-trust.org.uk/campaigns/aviation
Once you've written to object, also take part in a text vote by texting 'NO' to 63344
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121,
email: media@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found via this website.
Ancient Woodland: Is land continuously wooded for at least 400 years (and often much longer) and is one of the great glories of our natural heritage. Ancient woods are our richest habitat for wildlife, including more rare and threatened species than any other UK habitat. They are places of inordinate beauty, reservoirs of evidence for environmental change, archaeology and economic history, and a source of inspiration for local culture and folklore. Our resource of ancient woodland is finite and cannot increase, so what remains is precious and irreplaceable.
Protection for ancient woodland: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recently introduced new planning guidance which states: “Ancient woodland is a valuable biodiversity resource both for the diversity of species and for its longevity as woodland. Once lost it cannot be recreated. Local planning authorities should identify any areas of ancient woodland in their areas that do not have statutory protection (e.g. as an SSSI). They should not grant planning permission for any developments that would result in its loss or deterioration. Aged or 'veteran' trees found outside ancient woodland are also particularly valuable for biodiversity and their loss should be avoided. Planning authorities should encourage the conservation of such trees as part of development proposals." (ODPM, PPS9, 2005, paragraph 10))
Threatened woods directly affected sites include:
• George Wood, a 10.63ha (26-acre) ancient woodland – would be under threat and probably need to be cleared for so called ‘obstacle clearance’ to allow take off and landing.
• Withstocks Wood, 9.66ha (24-acre) ancient wood – would be destroyed by the new runway going straight through it.
• The 1.25ha (three-acre) ancient Winchill Wood also stands to be lost.
• Sewetts / Hurst Wood 7.85 ha (17-acre) ancient wood – would come under the same pressure as George Wood.
Other pressure groups: Others opposing expansion of Luton Airport include LADACAN and SLAP. For more see www.ladacan.org For more on Stop Luton Airport Plan log on to the campaigners’ website at www.stoplutonairport.org
