Agenda item

To consider proposals for Heathrow expansion and make recommendations to the Extraordinary Cabinet on 11 September 2019 on the Council’s policy stance.

Attached to this agenda are the Council’s proposed draft responses to the second Consultation setting out the mitigating actions we require Heathrow to address in order to continue to support the expansion. A document summarising the key benefits and issues will follow.

To further assist the Committee’s deliberations it will:

·         Receive a factual presentation on the pros and cons of Heathrow expansion as proposed by Heathrow Airport Limited

·         Receive a presentation on an alternative proposal for Heathrow expansion, by the Arora Group

·         Hear the views of councillors and their residents as presented by the ward councillors

The Committee will consider a number of policy positions including those contained within the two Motions, set out below, which were referred from the Council meeting held on 18 July 2019.

Motion 1.

“That henceforth the formal position of Spelthorne Borough Council will be to oppose any increase in air traffic movements at Heathrow airport.

The Council notes that this new position in principle is based on the impact on local residents and the environment from air traffic, and that the Council now believes that an increase in capacity is unsustainable and damaging to the borough.

The Council’s response to the LHR Expansion Consultation closing on 13th September 2019 will clearly indicate this change in policy and Spelthorne Borough Council’s opposition to the proposals in principle.”

Motion 2.

“In the light of Spelthorne Borough Council's commitment not to allow "any developments in the Borough that are detrimental to air quality" (as per the SBC press release 'Protecting Air quality in Spelthorne' dated 20/6/2019) and bearing in mind the fact that any Heathrow expansion will have serious knock on effects in terms of air quality and reduction of green spaces in the Borough inter alia through the envisaged building of a large car park between Oaks Road and the A3044 in Stanwell which currently acts as an important noise and pollution buffer zone for residents and as a carbon sink, the Council's new position to be reflected in its official response to the London Heathrow expansion consultation will be to oppose any expansion of Heathrow completely.”

Prior to consideration of this matter, it was moved, seconded and agreed to suspending Standing Order 5.1 to continue the meeting to the conclusion of the business on the agenda.

Spelthorne Borough Council officers from the Heathrow Expansion Working Group gave a factual presentation (attached to these minutes) on the ‘pros and cons’ of expansion at the airport and clarified points at the request of members of the Committee.

Carlton Brown, Chief Financial Officer of The Arora Group presented their alternative proposal for a new terminal configuration for an expanded airport, Heathrow West (attached to these minutes). He provided factual clarification on points raised by members.

The Chairman then invited all councillors in turn who wished to speak, to convey their views and those of the residents in their ward on the expansion proposals. Councillors from the following wards took the opportunity to address the meeting: Stanwell North, Ashford North and Stanwell East, Laleham and Shepperton Green, Staines South, Staines, Sunbury Common, Ashford East, Ashford Town, Sunbury East,*Shepperton Town and Ashford Common. and Sunbury Common.

In their comments councillors raised concerns about the current form that the expansion is proposed to take, and the resulting extensive impact on Stanwell Moor, Stanwell and the rest of the borough. Councillors, whilst acknowledging the economic benefits of expansion, called on the Committee to put the needs of residents first.

The Committee was presented with options for each identified key component of the Heathrow expansion proposal for debate.  The Committee proceeded to debate and vote to identify a position on each key component in turn. The options and decisions made are set out in the table attached to these minutes.

Following a short adjournment, the Chairman made the following statement and proposed a recommendation for the Committee's approval:

“Spelthorne has previously supported the third runway in principle but the proposals now before you from HAL for the expansion of the airport do not address our previous concerns and additionally now present significantly greater issues.

The Committee has debated the key issues in detail and it is apparent that we must change our stance. Spelthorne has always put its residents first and must continue to do so. The decision to approve a third runway was made by Government. It is clear and we are mindful that the expansion brings key benefits for Spelthorne’s economy but these are outweighed by the significant issues with HAL’s proposal which we have debated this evening.

I propose that the committee recommends to cabinet that Spelthorne’s policy stance on Heathrow Expansion must indicate that the Borough is unable to support the development consent order in its current form. At the same time we are clear there are potentially more beneficial alternative proposals to HAL’s, specifically the Heathrow West proposal which needs to be explored in greater depth. I further propose the committee recommends to Cabinet that only if the Council’s demands as agreed by the committee this evening and as set out in the officer’s AEC responses, on behalf of our communities are addressed to the Council’s satisfaction, then and only then would Spelthorne be able to review its position and support expansion.”

An amendment was proposed and seconded to remove the following words from the recommendation:

“I further propose the committee recommends to cabinet that only if the Council’s demands as agreed by the committee this evening and as set out in the officer’s AEC responses, on behalf of our communities are addressed to the Council’s satisfaction, then and only then would Spelthorne be able to review its position and support expansion.”

The amendment was voted upon and lost.

The Committee resolved to recommend to Cabinet:

1.    That Spelthorne’s policy stance on Heathrow Expansion must indicate that the Borough is unable to support the development consent order in its current form;

2.    That the Heathrow West proposal specifically needs to be explored in greater depth, as we are clear there are potentially more beneficial alternative proposals to HAL’s; and

3.    That only if the Council’s demands as agreed by the committee this evening (set out below and in the officer’s AEC responses) on behalf of our communities are addressed to the Council’s satisfaction, then and only then would Spelthorne be able to review its position and support expansion.

The demands are:

·         Third runway, with capped growth of 740,000 Air Traffic Movements per annum by 2040

·         That the expansion should include Heathrow T5X and T2 only, with further consideration given to the Heathrow West scheme

·         That any increase in car parking must be at the Northern Parkway or along Bath Road only

·         There must be no Southern Parkway, no Truck Park, no HGV filling station or associated lorry movements to the Crooked Billet, and Heathrow need to move new and re-aligned roads further away from Stanwell Moor

·         Deliver a genuine 'world class' integrated compensation and mitigation package, including Wider Property Offer Zone for Stanwell Moor and part of Stanwell village

·         To provide enhanced multi-purpose community halls for Stanwell Moor and Stanwell village as a positive legacy for the communities

·         Commitment to deliver 1,500 new apprenticeships for local colleges within the borough (Brooklands College in Ashford)

·         Controlled Parking Zones for Stanwell Moor, Stanwell village, and Ashford north of A308 and other areas as deemed appropriate by the Council – to be in place by the time the third runway is operational and to be funded in full by Heathrow

·         Southern Light Rail (SLR) to be built before the third runway is operational, and for the Council to work positively with Heathrow to ensure that they deliver

·         No Construction sites at CS10 or CS11 operating 24/7 365 days a year north of Stanwell and Stanwell Moor

·         Deliver continuous improvement and enhanced mitigation to neutralise air quality impacts to below legal limits on local communities 

·         Comply with the Committee on Climate Change Further Ambitions Scenario (in order to deliver a reduction to 30 million tonnes CO² in 2050)

·         Deliver continuous improvement by actively and directly reducing noise levels for aircraft and the airport (using 2013 baseline)

·         Night flights to be banned for 8 hours overnight, except for emergencies (World Health Organisation guidelines).

·         Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) must be outside the borough

·         Protect Staines Moor in perpetuity and ensure no changes to the River Colne upstream which might have an adverse impact on the biodiversity of the SSSI.

*Amended by Overview and Scrutiny Committee at meeting on 10 September 2019.