Scrutiny protest for common sense victorious

gloucs | protests | news report Thursday March 06, 2008 15:41 by Richard - Friends of the Earth cheltenhamfoe at yahoo dot co dot uk

Following a lively protest, in a surpise move, Gloucester city council's scrutiny committee rejected plans for the expansion of Gloucestershire Airport.

Candelit Vigil for Common Sense, March 2008

Campaigning against Staverton’s expansion has been a grueling business of late. We had patiently attended council meetings, asked public questions and met with Councillors on numerous occasions. Though Cheltenham’s Cabinet had approved the plan concessions were being made like the promise of a cap on flights. Not ideal but better than rampant unrestrained growth.

On Monday night at Gloucester’s city hall everything changed. Councillors on the Scrutiny Committee were met by a crowd of protesters holding a candlelit vigil for the return of common sense. We offered gifts of common sense to Councillors, each containing a pithy message about why the Airport expansion was a bad idea. Gifts also included a report from CASE (Concerned residents Against Staverton Expansion) that comprehensively demolishes the arguments for the development.

Given the choice between attending a council meeting and watching paint dry I would normally choose the latter. But this was a meeting like no other. As the meeting began the protesters massed on the public gallery and it seemed that Councillors were genuinely shocked and surprised by the size of the gathering. We made good progress during the public questions session - the committee agreed to consider the CASE report and to circulate it to other Councillors. As the meeting continued an anti-airport banner was unfurled and arguments for the development were greeted with heckling and laughter. Altogether we put the case for the environment with real passion.

Because of business confidentiality issues much of the meeting was held behind closed doors. We waited outside patiently for the results of the voting and were stunned to learn that the Airport plans were rejected. Specifically the Councillors agreed the motions:

1. The Cabinet and Council agree that it is not in the City Council's best interests to provide land for the Runway Safety Project.

2. That the Cabinet and the Council agree that the City Council should not undertake borrowing for the Airport Company or provide guarantees for any borrowing undertaken directly by the Airport Company.

The decisions, initially greeted by stunned disbelief, led to a round of applause for the Councillors before we adjourned to the local pub. The next steps are for the cabinet and full council to consider the issue. If they agree with the committee this will put a spanner in the works for the airport’s plans for some time to come. It would be nice to think this 11th hour turnaround happened because of the environmental argument and I don’t doubt that we were effective. However we should also acknowledge that Gloucester City Council’s concerns about debt and ambitions to sell their land for housing contributed to the decision. So perhaps we can view these events as a good thing happening for suspect reasons. Either way we definitely deserve a party after all the determined work that has gone into stopping Staverton’s expansion.

Airport bosses met with leaders in Gloucester yesterday and the Cabinet decision has been deferred. We will also be seeking to meet with the Cabinet to put the case against. The next few weeks will probably see a concerted effort by the Airport and their backers such as the Chambers of Commerce to mount a PR offensive in favour of the development. Now is a good time to write letters to papers opposing the expansion plans.

PS As an aside, lest anyone think that our battle to stop the Airport is about to become a battle to stop house building please be reassured to know that the land at stake is protected by the greenbelt. Any attempt to build housing on the site is some years away.