Council opposes proposals to expand Heathrow and increase in flights at London City airport.

Havering’s Leader of the Council Councillor Damian White has today issued a statement in regards to the Heathrow airport expansion and the London City Airport masterplan consultation.

In June this year London City airport began a consultation draft masterplan that set out a vision for the airport until 2035.

This followed a ‘42% increase in passengers over the past five years and the continued shift in London’s centre of gravity towards the east where the rate of growth in population, homes and jobs is higher than any other part of the capital.’

The draft forecasts that the airport will reach its current passenger cap of 6.5 million and 111,000 flights in 2022.

Havering’s leader Cllr White, is concerned about the potential third runway plans at Heathrow and the increase flights at London City airport and said :

‘Havering Council is deeply concerned about the potential impact of plans for a third runway at Heathrow and an increase in flights at London City airports on both our local environment and the lives of our residents.

‘We already experience flight noise and pollution from London City departures and Heathrow arrivals, with planes stacking above Havering waiting to land. Additional flights associated with the master planning at London City and the expansion plans at Heathrow will have a detrimental effect on the borough, particularly in relation to residents’ quality of life, noise levels and disturbance and local air quality.

‘Havering Council is committed to keeping the borough an attractive place for people to live and where businesses will wish to invest. Our recently adopted Air Quality Action Plan is a measure of the Council’s commitment to improving air quality in Havering. However, an increase in planes flying over the borough will have an adverse impact and will be damaging to the work that we are doing to improve local air quality. It will also mean an increase in noise levels and disturbance to local residents.

‘Our primary concern is to ensure that our residents’ lives are not disrupted or affected by the adverse effects of aviation such as aircraft noise, vibration and fumes.

‘Havering Council has formally responded to the current consultations on the plans at London City and Heathrow airports, categorically rejecting both proposals and emphasising the negative environmental and social effects on our borough.

“The cover of our most recent edition of our Living in Havering residents’ magazine celebrates Havering as a ‘green and pleasant land’. We understand this is what matters to residents and what makes our borough unique. We will always do everything we can to protect our borough and to keep Havering special.‘