Lydd airport
Kent Wildlife Trust's position on Lydd Airport
London Ashford Airport (Lydd Airport), which lies at the heart of the fantastic wildlife habitat of Dungeness, has submitted two planning applications. Both applications threaten the wonderful assemblage of rare wildflowers and insects of this globally unique site, and could result in serious, long-term harm to Romney Marsh's amazing populations of wild birds. The Trust is opposing the applications, working alongside RSPB, CPRE and local campaign groups.
One application is for an extension of the existing run-way, and is to accommodate up to 300,000 passengers a year. The second is for a new terminal building, intended to accommodate up to 500,000 passengers a year. Currently, Lydd Airport has around 3,000 passengers a year, but they believe that 300,000 could be accommodated without any new development. However, it seems likely that the runway extension would be important element in attracting higher passenger numbers. The Airport has stated that it wishes to see its business expand to 2 million passengers a year, which would require even more development.
Dungeness is unique. The vast expanse of shingle, and its associated shorelines, ponds, grazing marsh and wetland habitats, supports an astonishing assemblage or rare and threatened wildlife, including important communities of lichens, rare wildlife flowers, and a many unusual insects, including some found nowhere else in the world. The large number and variety of wild birds found at Dungeness is nationally renowned, and attracts nature-lovers from all over the country.
Much of the unique area of Dungeness and Rye Bay is recognised as being internationally important and is protected under European law. There appears to be no way in which Lydd Airport could expand its operations without causing significant and lasting damage to the wild habitats and species of Dungeness. In particular:
- Any increase in aviation at Lydd would massively increase air pollution, which would be certain to have a major negative impact on the area’s unique communities of wild plants and lichens. Air pollution is invisible and therefore often overlooked, but its impacts will be difficult to prevent or reverse, and will affect those features of Dungeness which are unique and impossible to replace. Yet, if Lydd Airport expands to accommodate 2 million passengers a year, it will be produce nearly 100 tonnes of nitrogen oxides every year.
- Any increase in aviation at Lydd will increase the risk of killing of rare and threatened bird species. Concerns about the risk to aircraft from striking birds in flight may make it impossible to further improve the area for wild birds or to create, restore or enhance wetland habitats within ten miles of Lydd.
- Proposals for expansion of aviation at Lydd would be likely to fail the tests for development likely to damage a site of European importance for wildlife. Even if it passed some of these tests, the unique nature of Dungeness’s wildlife would mean that it would probably be impossible to compensate for any damage to or loss of this wildlife interest.
For these reasons, Kent Wildlife Trust will oppose plans for any expansion of aviation at Lydd Airport.
For a copy of Kent Wildlife Trust's recent letter to Shepway District Council, setting out why the planning proposals should be rejected, click here.
What you can do ...
Write to Shepway District Council to let them know you are opposed to expansion of aviation at Lydd Airport. Letters should reach Shepway District Council by 5 March 2007. Quote the following references: Y06/1647/SH (for the proposed new terminal building); Y06/1648/SH (for the proposed runway extension).
The address of Shepway District Council is: Shepway District Council, Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2QY
If you live in Shepway, send a copy of your letter to your local Councillor at the same address.
Let your county councillor know what you think. Kent County Council's leader, Paul Carter, has expressed support for the proposals for Lydd Airport! If you don’t know who your county councillor is, phone Kent County Council on 08458 247 247, or go to www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors/.
