Cornishman Letter from LEAAG

Letter from LEAAG to Cornishman, 11 February 2009

On Feb 4th Tony Jones from BIH and Geoff Marsden from the Isles of Scilly Steamship Co. were invited by Jim McKenna Chief Executive, to answer questions before Penwith District Councils' Social Economic and Environment Committee. This was conducted in closed session, (no-one from the public could attend.)

Why couldn't any sensitive issues have been dealt with first and then the meeting opened up to all? In the public speaking section of the meeting The Land's End Aerodrome Action Group were allowed three minutes to speak, and the ruling was strictly adhered to. Is this a sparkling example of democracy at work?

Are surprise announcements and secret sessions part of BIH's strategy to forge ahead with their relocation? Surely they owe it to the community to offer their long term plans for debate and questioning by all the local people affected?

And while all this is happening a Certificate of Lawful Development for runway lighting, submitted by Westward Airways, is proceeding before the council. PDC have a duty to establish its lawfulness and whether Land's End aerodrome is classed as a relevant airport under the Airport Act 1986. If it is not, we understand that most rights for general permitted developments cannot be granted. Unlike normal planning applications, if legality is established, the certificate can proceed unopposed without going through the usual planning procedures.

We hope that our councillors will decide that this application, affecting one of Cornwall's most beautiful places, needs consideration at a full planning meeting. In 1997, the Government Office for the South West informed PDC that an environmental statement was required before planning for runway lighting could be allowed at Land's End Aerodrome. Will councillors adhere to the integrity of this former ruling?

We hope that the council consider this application within the context of BIH's and Westward Airways long term plans for Land's End Aerodrome. But do they know what they are?

We hope that this will not become an example of what some call, planning by 'gradual creep,' where these certificates can, when added together, culminate in very substantial airport expansion because councils have not stopped them.

Tony Jones has said that if BIH don’t relocate to Land's End they will deploy their helicopters elsewhere. Whatever they do, the citizens of Penwith deserve a long term thriving tourist industry that operates within sustainable development guidelines, not a short term solution, that damages a sensitive environment and turns potential visitors away from the area.