Representation by Hayley Ward
- Date submitted
- 13 May 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Luton Rising has applied for near-doubling of Luton Airport capacity to 32 million . In 2012, the airport said growth to 18 million passengers by 2028 would be sufficient to support jobs and the local economy. I strongly oppose this application because such significant additional expansion would further noise-blight the area, clog local road and rail services, cause 60% more carbon emissions and create unsustainable environmental and health damage. This plan would have massive impacts on the local environment all around the airport: quality of life in this area would change forever if the plan goes ahead. A much larger Luton Airport, flying over the towns and villages of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, adding carbon emissions at a time of Climate Crisis, choking local roads and exporting more money overseas on cheap flights is not a sustainable investment. Instead, Luton Borough Council – which ultimately owns the Airport – should heed its own Climate Emergency declaration and plan for a viable future which invests in tomorrow’s needs and not the kerosene-fuelled obsessions of yesterday.