(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, January 17, 2013 ) San Francisco, CA -- Some St. Albans residents and fervent campaigners lodged thousands of complaints against plane noise in 2011, and despite those complaints, Luton has confirmed it will pursue plans for nearly doubling the passenger numbers to 18 million per year..
The airport made a statement Monday that it would enact a planning application that will allow Luton permission to build a new taxiway, extend the existing taxiway, and begin construction on a multi-story car park. There is also plan to expand the current aircraft parking aprons.
The scheme will add 58% onto the annual flights within the next 15 years, and It’s public consultation window ends on February 18 of this year.
Campaigners have attempted to get people to take part in the consultation as there is a mere handful of weeks remaining.
The planning application follows the attempt by the airport to seek the opinion of a focused number of individuals within Luton and the surrounding areas, including St. Albans.
The result of those talks are within the Luton documentation.
Flamstead parish council stated that it was wary of the increased noise from more flights being utilized by the airport.
Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion (HALE) has accused the airport's public “spin doctors” of attempting to promote the scheme in a favorable light by “gloss[ing] the community response data”.
In a released announcement on the planning applications, Luton Airport claimed 65% supported the plan for development in a survey taken last year.
Flamstead resident Andrew Lambourne (of HALE) stated that the data painted a different picture that one may first be seen if looked at closely.
No noted many favorable responses came from outside the area directly affected by the airport. He pointed out that those within the community showed a 75% opposition standing.
Andrew then added: “Campaign groups which represent the public’s point of view all submitted responses which were strongly opposed to expansion.”
