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York airport scheme kicked out
CAMPAIGNERS, developers and economic leaders reacted with joy and despair today after a Government inspector threw out plans for a huge expansion of Elvington Airfield.
Residents, local politicians and City of York Council hailed the decision by Colin Tyrrell, saying the environmental damage caused by several thousand more flights a year would have been too severe.
But business bosses said it was bad news for York, and the site’s owners, Elvington Park Ltd (EPL), also condemned the decision, which followed a public inquiry between the council and EPL.
Chris Hudson, secretary of EPL, threatened to turn the runway back into farmland, saying the council had consistently thwarted its ideas.
He said: “We are extremely disappointed and cannot believe that, in this economic climate, a proposal that would have created extra jobs for York has been turned down.”
EPL wanted to build new hangars so it could increase the number of take-offs and landings from 1,550 a year to about 10,000. It argued its plans would meet a demand from the local business community and create 42 jobs.
Mr Hudson said: “We have had endless problems with the council and now, looking at it logically, the only alternative left is to recover all the stone and raw material from the airfield, remove it all completely, and return it to agricultural land.
“Everything we have done, the council has found a problem with.”
But Mr Tyrrell said there was “little persuasive evidence” that a lack of airport was harming York businesses, or would do so in future.
He also rejected EPL’s claim that the land was not in the green belt and said he was unconvinced that EPL would adequately protect the Lower Derwent Valley special protection area (SPA), a nationally-recognised area for birdlife.
Mike Slater, the council’s assistant planning director, welcomed the decision, adding: “The limited economic benefits of the proposal are outweighed by the substantial harm to the green belt, the countryside and also to the nature conservation interests in the Lower Derwent Valley SPA.”
Residents had voiced concerns about noise, traffic, and other environmental impacts of the development.
Elvington Parish Council chairman Ian Bailey said: “I am very pleased and relieved for the great many people who would have been affected.”
But Susie Cawood, York head of the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is disappointing news for the business community.”
She said the chamber supported Leeds Bradford Airport, but added: “There would have been a case to have a small airport at Elvington and it would have assisted business.”
She said transport was always a key issue for local firms and that York was losing out in some cases from poorer links than other cities.
Source
CAMPAIGNERS, developers and economic leaders reacted with joy and despair today after a Government inspector threw out plans for a huge expansion of Elvington Airfield.
Residents, local politicians and City of York Council hailed the decision by Colin Tyrrell, saying the environmental damage caused by several thousand more flights a year would have been too severe.
But business bosses said it was bad news for York, and the site’s owners, Elvington Park Ltd (EPL), also condemned the decision, which followed a public inquiry between the council and EPL.
Chris Hudson, secretary of EPL, threatened to turn the runway back into farmland, saying the council had consistently thwarted its ideas.
He said: “We are extremely disappointed and cannot believe that, in this economic climate, a proposal that would have created extra jobs for York has been turned down.”
EPL wanted to build new hangars so it could increase the number of take-offs and landings from 1,550 a year to about 10,000. It argued its plans would meet a demand from the local business community and create 42 jobs.
Mr Hudson said: “We have had endless problems with the council and now, looking at it logically, the only alternative left is to recover all the stone and raw material from the airfield, remove it all completely, and return it to agricultural land.
“Everything we have done, the council has found a problem with.”
But Mr Tyrrell said there was “little persuasive evidence” that a lack of airport was harming York businesses, or would do so in future.
He also rejected EPL’s claim that the land was not in the green belt and said he was unconvinced that EPL would adequately protect the Lower Derwent Valley special protection area (SPA), a nationally-recognised area for birdlife.
Mike Slater, the council’s assistant planning director, welcomed the decision, adding: “The limited economic benefits of the proposal are outweighed by the substantial harm to the green belt, the countryside and also to the nature conservation interests in the Lower Derwent Valley SPA.”
Residents had voiced concerns about noise, traffic, and other environmental impacts of the development.
Elvington Parish Council chairman Ian Bailey said: “I am very pleased and relieved for the great many people who would have been affected.”
But Susie Cawood, York head of the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is disappointing news for the business community.”
She said the chamber supported Leeds Bradford Airport, but added: “There would have been a case to have a small airport at Elvington and it would have assisted business.”
She said transport was always a key issue for local firms and that York was losing out in some cases from poorer links than other cities.
Source
