Latest News On London Luton Airport

Our thanks to the Chiltern Countryside Group for this update

There are currently 3 significant consultations out for public response, each of which directly affects all of us in the Chilterns, so don’t miss your opportunity to make your voice heard.  These are:

  • Government White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’.  Closing date 29 October 2020
  • London Luton Airport non-statutory consultation on proposal to increase passenger numbers per annum.  Closing date 11 November 2020
  • National Air Traffic Service & London Luton Airport statutory consultation on proposals to change air space.  Closing date 5 February 2021

GOVERNMENT  CONSULTATION ON WHITE PAPER: Planning for the Future  CLOSES 29 OCTOBER 2020

Do please find time to respond to this important consultation for the most significant reforms to England’s planning system since 1947.  The White Paper outlines Government plans to:

  • Speed up the planning process, with increasing de-regulation
  • Introduce 3 land use zones – (1) Growth (2) Renewal (3) Protected, which should include current Green Belt, AONBs and National Parks
  • Set ambitious & contentious housing growth requirements
  • Reduce involvement of local authorities and thus community representation and voices
  • Set out a requirement for ‘beautiful’ developments, without defining what this means practically
  • Greater use of digital technology, which will apparently give greater access to plans etc. to more people. How this will speed up the process or even offer basic accessibility to the many people without computer facilities is not described.

These are just some of the key changes proposed, none of which convince that our precious green spaces will be protected, despite the clear need and benefit of these to everyone in these difficult times. We are aware of at least one local Council which is already preparing to relinquish vast swathes of key Green Belt land for high density housing and associated infrastructure. There has already been considerable debate and many MPs are opposing, or at least, questioning, these reforms.

The CCG believes these proposals to reform our planning system will stifle the voices of local residents and their elected local representatives, will increase pressure on local authorities to release Green Belt to accommodate housing needs, which we consider to be inflated and over-ambitious and will make it far easier for developers to acquire planning consent without the current checks and balances for appropriate housing where it is most needed, rather than where it is most profitable.

The Steering Group affirms the statement made by Tom Fyans, campaign and policy director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE): ‘The call to rip up the red tape in our planning system only moves us backwards. We can’t continue to allow a free-for-all for speculative developers. Deregulation won’t improve the quantity or quality of homes.’

The CCG (Chiltern Countryside Group) will be making a response but do please help us all to protect our green spaces. We quite appreciate that you may not have time, or energy, to wade through the entire White Paper so here’s a quick and effective way to make your voice heard. Use the CPRE website to sign its petition ‘Don’t let the Government deregulate planning’ with this link:

https://takeaction.cpre.org.uk/page/66589/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=cpre-web-take-action

LONDON LUTON AIRPORT

There are currently 2 planning Consultations out for developments affecting LLA.

  1. LLA plans to increase passenger numbers by 1m passengers per annum to 19m ppa.

LLA are consulting on plans to approve an increase in passenger numbers per annum from the present 18m ppa to 19m ppa. This is, of course, far less than the plans now withdrawn by LLA. Nevertheless, this is still a further 1m ppa which remains a significant increase which is, as we all know, completely unnecessary now and probably so for the foreseeable future. This is a non-statutory consultation so only runs for a few weeks.

We are advised by LLA that:

‘Further information can also be downloaded from the website www.luton19mppa.info.’

You can provide feedback to LLA and the consultation by:

  • Completing the online questionnaire on our website
  • Downloading our questionnaire and returning it by e mail or freepost
  • Emailing us at:mail@luton19mppa.info
  • Writing to us at: Freepost LLAOL CONSULTATION
  • Your feedback is important to us and will help us to develop our final plans which will balance the needs of a wide range of individuals, communities and stakeholders. This will then be submitted to Luton Council for planning approval later in 2020.
  • Please ensure that you submit your feedback by 11.55pm on 11th November 2020.
  1. National Air Traffic Service (NATS) & LLA consultation on changes to airspace closes 5 February 2021.

This statutory consultation proposes changes to arrivals into LLA and Stansted. These will directly affect the Chilterns and other parts of Hertfordshire, so do please find time to look at the plans and make a considered response.

You can access the documents and how to respond to the consultation with this link:

https://consultations.airspacechange.co.uk/london-luton-airport/ad6_luton_arrivals/

The CCG, the Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society will all be making considered responses to these consultations. However, it remains imperative that as many individuals as possible also respond – the more the better and the more our views are likely to be heard. It’s also an opportunity for you to check out the stance of your local Council & Councillors and your MP.

For more about the Chiltern Countryside Group, visit www.chilterncountrysidegroup.org or telephone: 01442 905 992.