Boris Island panel pushes airport plan
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by
political editor Paul Francis
pfrancis@thekmgroup.co.uk
Purpose-built islands designed to break up potentially
devastating tidal surges in the Thames estuary could double as
airport runways, according to a report.
The suggestion has been floated by the Thames Estuary
Steering Group investigating possible options for an off-shore
island off north Kent.
The group is an expert panel appointed by London
Mayor Boris Johnson to examine the potential for development around
the river - including the highly contentious option of building a
£40bn airport.
In a 50-page report, the group - which includes the
renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell - puts forward the idea of
using high-tech flood defences in the form of man-made islands as
runways.
And it says an off-shore scheme - dubbed Boris Island -
should be considered because of the problems of extending existing
airports and developing regional ones.
The report states: "An earlier argument saw that islands
in the estuary can be part of flood defences.
"Such islands could also be put to dual use as
runways.
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"Further thought on the availability of airspace and its
control across the channel then also becomes relevant – an analysis
which is also necessary for an expanded use of Manston or
Southend."
The report makes clear the group believes that of all the
options for expanding aviation capacity, the estuary scheme has
most advantages.
It said: "Balancing benefits and disbenefits of
alternative locations for expansion is tricky.
"All locations would impose costs of local communities -
minimising these gives weight to an offshore location."
Bridget Rosewell, a leading member of the group and a
former adviser to the mayor, said the airport idea warranted
further investigation - despite the wide-ranging opposition and the
fact that it has all but been ruled out by David
Cameron.
She said: "What we are saying is that this could be a
possibility and merits further investigation.
"We are
certainly not saying the airport plan is a no-go option but that
more work needs to be done."
The renewed backing for the airport scheme will dismay
long-standing opponents across Kent and Medway.
"Late last year, the Prime Minister signalled that the
government had no intention of supporting the proposal as part of
its aviation policy.
Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson was dismissive. "They are
going to keep going on about this right up to the London mayoral
elections. It is just a sop to keep the electors of London
happy.
"David Cameron has made it perfectly clear thta he ‘s not
going to support it."
Read the report "The Thames Estuary: An Integrated
Approach" here: http://bit.ly/hB2DB5
Monday, January 17 2011
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