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Harborough Magna & Easenhall Website

Harborough Magna and Easenhall A.C.C.

Newsletter 2

We hope that many of you have now written to your chosen Member of Parliament, the more the merrier. We also have a notice board in the Old and Golden Lion pubs with the most up to date information, and a post box for your letter (please contact your AAG representative for sample letters if you prefer) - we will even put a stamp on it for you! Deadline end of October. If you want to send the same letter to all of those listed on our sheet please feel free to do so. In Monks Kirby they have sent EIGHT yes EIGHT letters per household. http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk is the site to register your protest. At the last count the vote was not as against the new airport as you would think. 

What have we been doing since the last newsletter?

Representatives have attended action group meetings in Stretton on Dunsmore, plus the Strategic Action Co-ordination Group, plus our own weekly meetings, and: -

• Children’s Painting Competition – Prizes for the best poster against the airport. Three ages; up to eight. Nine to thirteen. Fourteen to sixteen. Entries (name & address on reverse) to any committee member, by 20th October. Viewing in Easenhall village hall - Cllr Hazel Bell will choose the winners by the end of October…There will be prizes!
  
• Information Stand – Regularly in the town (by the clocktower from 14th Sept) 
  
• After advice from one of our members, David Leach, we as a group of villages are to write to all of the world’s airlines, which we do not think have been informed of the government’s plans. If they were it is believed they would fight them against a new airport in the Midlands especially one with the runways in the wrong direction. Now that’s getting the big guns involved!!
  
• Posters - More have been ordered like the ones on the verge on Pailton Road, for Montillo lane. Thanks to all of you who have put up a poster or placard – although not normally encouraged, the circumstances deem them necessary. Please ensure none are placed near road signs, as they will be removed.  Contact your committee member for more posters car stickers etc.
  
• Anti Airport Banners – Easenhall to have these in place during September, Harborough have ordered more, to increase impact
  
• Web site – Harborough Magna & Easenhall Airport Action Group has been created http://www.harboroughmagna.org.uk - Big thanks to OEM Computer Systems of Harborough Magna
  
• Look out for Stretton's “Jumbo Van” which plays the noise of a Jumbo jet taking off & landing to really highlight our noise problem - in our villages soon!

New facts that emerged:

• A further 10,000 acres will be needed for car parks and hotels over and above the 5000acres mentioned in the governments proposal – many of you have seen the maps, showing the ‘airport’ in place between Rugby & Coventry, it does not show the impact of these extra 10,000 acres.
  
• Rugby Airport is favourite - Solihull is mounting a massive campaign against any extension to Birmingham. They say Rugby is the favoured option….
  
• Railway Station – This is pencilled in for the sharp bend at the top of the straight going out of Easenhall toward Town Thorns. It’s anyone’s guess where the car park will be…. 
  
• Detailed technical Information - The Government have recently released the documents used to produce the summary report. Copies are available from http://www.aviation.dft.gov.uk/consult/airconsult/midlands/technical/index.htm, or contact your local committee member for a copy.
  
• Questionnaire - Those of you who have obtained the DOT’s summary report were also provided with a questionnaire. Please do not send it back yet until we have found out from the experts how best to fill it in. It is no good putting any words on it - only the tick boxes are recognised by the computer programme. 

Update from SACG meeting 12 September 2002

SACG see their function as trying to address the wider audience and to consider best strategy. They realise that they need to elevate the ‘attack’ to a national level, and take the view that the serious political lobbying will happen after the November deadline. Until then, concentration will be on information gathering, formulating arguments and making ‘quality’ responses. In addition 45 questions have been formulated and sent to the Government office for consideration by technical personnel, for a meeting 1st week in November. 

SACG will meet again on the 16th September to hone their campaign objectives/targets. The conversion of local action into influence on Government is seen as a major short-term objective.

As the Rugby Airport is seen as a SE option re Airport traffic Expansion then arguments need to be made that illustrate that: -

1- Rugby airport does not suit the SE traveller
2- There may be no need for the airport capacity expansion; 
- Stansted has approved capacity expansion 
- Airport and future flight projections post September 11th.

Other items

Rugby council has provided an office at ‘The Retreat’ – back of Benn Hall. Volunteers needed. Training starting next Monday. Phone no to be advertised next week.

Rugby Council has given £20,000 to the fighting fund.
Warwickshire County Council is opposing the airport. 
Birmingham Council appears to want to keep their airport but not (perhaps because they are politcians!) necessarily to expand it. 
Birmingham Council & Coventry Council oppose the closure of Birmingham airport. 
Coventry Chamber of Commerce is polling its members. 

SACG will bring up concerns at meeting with WCC, re the terms of reference given to consultants, employed to examine the government’s conclusions re the Rugby Airport.

Village Questions Guidance

Our strategy is to support and preserve the environment, countryside and heritage

1. How do you feel about the Government’s proposal?

• Shock – it was out of the-blue
• Surprised that Government who talk about environmental issues so much should suggest building on Greenbelt land
• This country cannot afford to lose yet more countryside 

2. Don’t you think that it would be better here than Birmingham? 

• Airport at Elmdon is pre WW2 – blight was known by housebuyers
• As second city Birmingham should have a major airport closer than here
• Airport handy for NEC/NIA – nothing here 
• Infrastructure already there – some upgrading required
• Cheaper option to expand Birmingham – wastes less taxpayers money
• People working at Birmingham & East Midlands Airport who have the skills needed for many of jobs will have to move as not all are able to commute

3. NO! …..this isn’t this just NIMBYism?

• Respect countryside and heritage
• Save environment for future generations
• Of course no-one would want an airport on their doorstep, neither would they want a nuclear power station or a sewage farm – we all need the trappings of modern life but a balance must be struck between progress and our environment when we decide were to put them.

4. How do you think the airport would affect you?

• Obviously concerned about the noise – would be 90 decibels in this area
• Old houses would not withstand the noise vibrations
• Air pollution – 90% of air pollution is on take-off, taxiing and landing which exceeds EU guidance – they recommend no houses close by.
• Community functions around outdoor activities and would be destroyed
• Road expansion and support services will swallow countryside environment

5. What effect has it had villages now?

• Taken over our lives - Huge worry over outcome
• All anyone can talk about - Pressure to “do something”
• House prices have plummeted and sales have fallen through
• Private & Business plans for home improvements have been put on hold 

6. But what about all of the benefits this airport would bring to the area?

• Job benefits are small - This is not a high unemployment area
• Specialists would move in and require new housing
• Local jobs would not be available for some years
• This area is one of the richest farming areas in the country and this would all be destroyed 

7. How can you justify opposition when you fly yourself – after all, airports have to be somewhere?

• Of course they do!
• And so do sewage farms and nuclear power stations but a balance must be maintained (see above)
• Brownfield sites – Greenfield sites should not even be an option.
  
  ‘Britain isn’t big enough for us to be pouring more and more concrete over its green and pleasant land’ Alistair Darling (2002)
  

…….HM & E AAG will consider offering Alistair Darling membership of the Rugby Anti Airport Group!!

Useful addresses - Remember this is not the committees fight, it is everyone’s fight 

· Write a letter. Vote on the telephone or email
· Pop in the pub to look at our notice board and post your letter 
· Contact us (HM & E Airport Action Group) with concerns you may have. 

Committee members who can be contacted should you wish:

Key addresses to write to:

Copies of the consultation documents can be obtained by phoning 0845 100 5554 or by faxing 0870 122 6237.  If you have not got them we recommend you apply, these are free and you are entitled to five copies for wider circulation.   

Send mail to mark@harboroughmagna.org.uk with questions or comments about this web site.