Press Release for Farnborough Airfield

Local Group to be Gagged at Public Airfield Meeting
Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth not allowed to be heard at the Church Crookham "public" meeting on TAG's plans

24 October 1999

Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth (BVFoE) have reacted with a mixture of anger and astonishment at the gagging order that has been applied to them by Hart Council for the airfield meeting at Bowenhurst Hall, Church Crookham on Thursday 28^th October. BVFoE who have members in Church Crookham and Fleet will not be allowed to speak, including the asking of questions, and may even be banned from entering the hall just because the BVFoE officials are living outside Hart .

Rick Kimber, the Press Officer of BVFoE who also represents the group on Rushmoor Council's Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Panel had originally contacted Hart councillor Peter Shoesmith who is the chairmen for Thursday's meeting. Kimber had requested that BVFoE be given ten minutes on the platform at the meeting in order to give a balanced view of the airfield planning application. The other two representatives that are due to appear on the platform are Luxembourg based TAG (the proposed operators of the airfield) and Rushmoor Council. It was felt by BVFoE that neither would give objective views of TAG's planning application that would most concern the local people of Hart.

Cllr Shoesmith in a phone conversation to Kimber on 22/10/99, replied that the BVFoE request had been discussed at the Hart Planning & Advisory Committee meeting. It had been decided that BVFoE would not be allowed to appear on the platform.

Furthermore, Cllr Shoesmith claimed that the meeting was for Hart residents and hence only they would be able to ask questions after TAG and Rushmoor had presented their case. As none of the BVFoE officials that have good knowledge of TAG's application are Hart residents this would effectively silence the expertise of the group, including a Farnborough based acoustic consultant working on behalf of BVFoE. Cllr Shoesmith went on to say that at the meeting he intends to firstly inquire from people who want to ask a question what their address is. If a non-Hart address is given they will not be allowed a voice.

Even more ominously when Kimber then asked Cllr Shoesmith for confirmation that non-Hart residents would be allowed into the meeting, he was told that this was a "moot point". BVFoE officials now fear that not only will they be gagged but could even be turned away from the meeting altogether.

Rick Kimber stated:

" This move by a local council to now make what was originally advertised as an open Public Meeting restricted to residents only is unprecedented to my knowledge and is a flaunt to democracy. We, an impoverished local environmental group representing members throughout the area including Fleet and Church Crookham, are denied a voice, whereas multi-national interests represented by Luxembourg based TAG have the freedom to promote their case without our experts being able to counter their claims. After detailed study of the application we have major concerns for the environment of Hart, yet we are not being allowed to address them to the people. To hear the downside of the application the residents will be forced to travel over to Farnborough Community Centre for our meeting on November 9^th. Hart Council have treated local people with contempt in denying them a chance of a balanced presentation. People should be very concerned about this."

Notes to Editor:

BVFoE consider that Hart residents will be effected for the worse by TAG's planning application. In particular by :

Noise. Church Crookham residents are already subjected to an intolerable level of noise. As the noise contours extend further out towards Church Crookham those already suffering will face a worsening situation and more people will be affected.

Safety. Church Crookham residents will face an increased safety risk. TAG claim safety to be a top priority and yet have failed to submit a risk assessment.

Aircraft size. The Inspector had recommended that the maximum take-off weight limit (MTOW) be 50 tonnes, TAG want no limit so that they can fly in aircraft of at least 80 tonnes e.g. Boeing 737.

The Bourley and Long Valley SSSI will be seriously effected as TAG intend to extensively deforest 70ha of it.

They are also going to "lower" the tops of three hills in the SSSI:

Miles Hill - 1ha will be lowered;

Eelmoor Hill - 1.5ha will be lowered;

Norris Hill Copse - 0.03 ha will be lowered.

In total TAG admit that this will involve removing 50,000 m3 of earth. If this is not, in TAG's words "adequately managed", this earthworks would cause siltation of the SSSI of Fleet Pond.

Extensive tree felling will occur along the Basingstoke Canal SSSI. In a cynical comment in the application summary TAG have said that this will "enhance views to and from the canal through thinning of tree cover"

BVFoE public meeting is on November 9^th at Farnborough Community Centre at 20.00. Speakers will include a local acoustic expert, Future Farnborough Aerodrome Group, and an aviation campaigner from national Friends of the Earth.

The planning application (Ref No 99/00658/OUT) is available for viewing at Rushmoor Council offices in Farnborough Road and Farnborough public reference library.

People have until 1 December to object. These letters should be sent to Keith Holland, Head of Planning Services, Rushmoor Borough Council, Farnborough, GU14 7JU, referencing above planning application

More information on the application can be found on our web site at :

http://www.bvfoe.freeserve.co.uk/Airfield.html

END

BVFoE ~ Farnborough Airfield