As constituents may know, I have consistently challenged the over-rapid growth of Luton Airport since its expansion permission in 2013, and opposed its application to increase the passenger limit and noise footprint beyond what was originally agreed to apply until 2028. Although Luton Council voted in favour of that application last December, we have achieved a call-in of their decision for independent review.
A Public Inquiry will be held in September, after which the National Planning Inspector will recommend to the Secretary of State whether he should agree to legitimise Luton Airport’s 3-year breach of planning conditions and allow increased noise limits and passenger numbers, or not. If agreed, this could help pave the way for Luton Rising’s massive DCO project for 32 million passengers.
Local community group LADACAN (www.ladacan.org) will appear at the Inquiry to press the case on behalf of local residents that the Inspector should recommend refusal of the application and require the Airport to honour its current planning conditions. All the local community groups concerned about the impacts of the Airport - not just from noise but also crowding on local roads and the train services - have joined forces to raise a fighting fund to provide legal advice and assistance during the Inquiry.
Fundraising is being channelled through a registered environmental charity, the West Herts Environmental Foundation (WHEF, charity number 1188336) which has as one of its concerns minimising the effects of Luton Airport on the local environment. Donations to WHEF attract Gift Aid if you are a tax-payer. In addition, a generous matched-funding offer has been made: all public donations to WHEF for this cause from 1 April 2022 will be matched pound-for-pound up to a limit of £25,000.
Anyone concerned by this issue can make an online donation to WHEF using Paypal or a credit card via this link: https://whef.org.uk/opposing-luton-airport-expansion/.
