by Nic Rigby
BBC News Online |
Following the announcement in the government's White Paper on Tuesday, campaigners told BBC News Online they are planning a whole clutch of legal challenges to the proposals.
But supporters of expansion, which is likely to affect parts of Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, said they believed the decision would be good for business in the region.
The one-runway option at Stansted Airport is expected to involve the construction of a full-length runway 2,450 metres to the east of the existing one.
Experts predict that the new runway could see Stansted's passenger numbers climb from about 12 million in 2000 to 74 million in 2030.
 | Possible effects of an extra runway Additional house building in Essex and Hertfordshire equivalent to a town twice the size of Harlow A new holding stack (where airlines queue waiting for permission to land) between Cambridge and Ely A new flight path over Cambridgeshire and Norfolk over the east coast Increased noise and pollution close to landing and take-off routes including the towns of Thaxtead, Stansted, Bishop's Stortford and Harlow A new motorway link from the M11 near Ugley |
It could take Stansted-generated employment levels from around 10,000 in 1998 to about 60,000 over the next 30 years. The roads in the vicinity of Stansted will become increasingly congested and improved rail links will be needed to cope with the increased use, it is predicted.
Homes, listed buildings and Green Belt land would be lost if any new runway is built.
Following the release of the White Paper, Carol Barbone, a spokeswoman for Stop Stansted Expansion, told BBC News Online: "We will be stepping up our campaign. We will fight the battle on every front.
"We have enough ammunition to tie down any development for years before it even gets to the planning permission stage.
"This community is rock solid in its determination to prevent the expansion."
Among the legal options open to campaigners are:
A formal complaint to the European Union (EU) that the government has failed to meet European laws on air quality and environmental assessments A complaint to the competition authorities in the UK and EU on whether the British Airports Authority (which owns Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) is abusing its market dominance A High Court challenge over the government decision making process | Stansted Airport facts There has been a passenger airport at Stansted since 1947 when it was handed over by the US airforce who used it as a WW II base A 1967 government White Paper proposed Stansted as the third London international airport to cater for 15 million passengers The proposal was given planning permission in December 1984 after a lengthy public inquiry A new terminal was opened in 1991 In December 2003 a government White Paper proposes an extra runway for Stansted Airport |
Richard Dyer, assistant transport campaigner with Friends of the Earth, said: "The new runway at Stansted will mean increasing the misery of noise and air pollution for local communities in the area and its totally unnecessary. "Friends of the Earth has shown that no new runways are needed anywhere in the UK if the aviation industry paid fair tax on its fuel and VAT."
But the scheme has been given the backing of some businesses in Cambridgeshire and Essex.
Chris Sturgess, manager of the Cross Keys Hotel in Saffron Walden, told BBC News Online he was delighted with the news.
"I think it will be fantastic for business and it will bring new jobs to the area, as well as a lot more housing," he said.
"About 50% of our trade comes through the airport and our increase in business will not just be from people travelling, but also construction workers and builders coming to the area (and using the hotel)."
Michael Wiseman, chairman of the Cambridge Retail and Commercial Association, said: "I think this is good news for the area, provided the transport infrastructure is there to meet the added demands.
"We have got to face up to the facts that more people are flying, so we need it (the runway)."
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has battled runway expansion.
Philip Venning, SPAB secretary, told BBC News Online the announcement on Tuesday was "very bad news for Britain's built heritage".
Waltham Manor and The Grange, both scheduled ancient monuments, are in the path of the new runway, along with 29 listed Grade II buildings.
Mr Venning said: "I cannot recall a case of equivalent damage to our built heritage from any private or public scheme.
"Even the Channel Tunnel rail link did not affect buildings on this scale."
Mr Venning said it was not always plausible to relocate buildings, because "a lot of historic fabric is lost" in the process of dismantling and re-erecting the structures.
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