Heathrow want to build mega car park on greenbelt land
Press Release
17 Jan 18
For immediate use
Heathrow want to build huge car park on greenbelt land
Heathrow Airport Limited have today outlined proposals that would see vast swathes of green belt land around the airport used for buildings to support a third runway (1).
One building in particular would be a “new car park for the airport” on Little Harlington Playing Fields, for 20,000 vehicles (2), close to an air pollution monitor which has frequently broken legal air quality limits.
The proposals came to light in a consultation launched on Wednesday as part of its effort to build a third runway at Heathrow, despite ongoing parliamentary scrutiny as to whether the airport should expand altogether.
The plan to build a car park on green belt land is, according to campaigners, somewhat ironic given the airport have been pushing so-called environmental credentials of a third runway, including a specific pledge to have “no more airport-related traffic on the roads compared to today” (3). The pledge has been widely publicised, including to MPs, who will decide on whether Heathrow should expand later this year.
Rob Barnstone, Coordinator of Stop Heathrow Expansion, said: “It is deeply disappointing and worrying for our local environment that Heathrow have expressed intent to build on so many green belt land sites.
"There is a great irony in pledging to have no additional cars using an expanded airport compared with now, then wanting to build a huge new car park on green belt land site. The pledge is now simply laughable."
Ends.
Notes
1. IMAGE 1: Heathrow consultation document page 89. https://www.heathrowconsultation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2263-Heathrow-OEP-and-Appendix-FINAL-RGB-200dpi.pdf
2. IMAGE 2: Map of local green belt land sites, (taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/greenpolitics/planning/9708387/Interactive-map-Englands-green-belt.html)
3. Heathrow ‘no more cars than today’ pledge https://your.heathrow.com/takingbritainfurther/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Transport-Fact-Sheet_FINAL2.pdf
Further info:
Rob Barnstone 07806947050
Figure showing the sites Heathrow want to build new cars parks
Greenbelt land around Heathrow