Heathrow Expansion - Clive Soley
Hello, I'm a reporter on the Hammersmith and Fulham Gazette. We're thinking about doing a follow up on this story in the Times, do you have any comments? If so, call me on 020 8579 3131 or email me at editor@hammersmithgazette.co.ukA LEADING Labour peer is to spearhead a campaign by airlines for a £4 billion development of Heathrow airport, including a third runway and a sixth terminal, The Times has learnt. Clive Soley, a close ally of Tony Blair and a former chairman of Labour’s parliamentary party, will be confirmed as the director of Future Heathrow when it launches on May 23. The group will be funded by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and bmi british midland and includes the CBI and several trade unions. But BAA, which owns Heathrow as well as Gatwick and Stansted, has refused to join the group, saying that it does not want to be seen to favour one of its airports over another. Lord Soley, who was ennobled last week and has just stepped down as MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherds Bush, has previously voiced opposition to the expansion of Heathrow. However, he now claims the airport will be eclipsed by its rivals in Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam unless new capacity is added. He will be paid £28,000 a year to work part-time, lobbying the Government to allow a short third runway north of the existing two full-length ones. BA believes that the appointment of Lord Soley will significantly increase its chances of securing a third runway by 2015. The Government’s White Paper on airport development supported the construction of a new runway between 2015 and 2020 but said that this was subject to fulfilling a series of environmental criteria. Lord Soley told The Times: “I have accepted this appointment because of the threat to West London. It is inevitable that Heathrow will decline unless a third runway is built. “The impact could be similar to the closure of the docks in East London. Unemployment could go through the roof and house prices through the floor. “Some of my colleagues think I exaggerate the threat but I believe the danger is real.” Lord Soley admitted that he may previously have given the impression that he was opposed to expansion at Heathrow. “I said I didn’t want a third runway but I set against that the need for Heathrow to remain a vibrant, premier airport,” he said. Clearskies, a lobby group against the expansion, said that Lord Soley had previously given them his support. John Stewart, chairman of Clearskies, said: “While he was an MP, Clive Soley failed to make clear to us that he backed a third runway. But now he has left office he is willing to take the airline industry’s shilling. “His former constituents who are blighted by aircraft noise will be dismayed to learn he is now campaigning to make their lives even worse.” Heathrow is currently limited to handling 480,000 flights a year. Under the expansion plans supported, the number of flights would increase to 655,000 by 2015. Up to 700 homes and eight listed buildings would be demolished.
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