BAA’s bid to quell runway three fears snubbed by campaigners

9:23am Monday 8th August 2005

PLANS by BAA to compensate homeowners who would be affected by a third runway at Heathrow have been met with anger from residents and action groups.

BAA is obligated by Government to compensate for noise and blight if the planned expansion goes ahead.

On Friday, July 29, BAA proposed two schemes designed to protect the local community before a decision on a third runway is made.

The first is a bond scheme which guarantees homes will be bought at an unblighted cost at the time a third runway is built. They can be transferred on sale of property and cashed if BAA submits plans for the third runway.

The second is a home owner support scheme, which covers more than 450 homes which would suffer the unacceptable noise level of 66 decibels, if the third runway goes ahead.

But pressure group HACAN Clearskies condemned the scheme. John Stewart, chairman of HACAN ClearSkies, said: "This is nothing more than a protection racket. BAA is saying to householders that, if you play ball with us as we destroy your community, we'll see you alright."

He added: "A whole community could be blighted for a decade while the Government decides whether or not to go ahead with a third runway and a sixth terminal.

"It should be firmly ruled out right now."

Christine Schilling from the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG) said: "Our view is still that there must be no further runway, that is our bottom line. We are unequivocal in that."

She continued: "There are huge numbers of people who think they qualify for these blight schemes, but they actually don't.

"There are people who live just past the boundary who have not been covered even though their properties would still be blighted.

"Families will effectively be split, with some people's homes being bought and other members of their family who are just over the boundary with no scheme."

Bryan Sobey, from Sipson Residents' Association said: "There is nothing in this for people unless the runway is going right through their street. What about the people who live right on the boundary. It's not good enough."

Janis Kong, executive chairman of BAA Heathrow said: "Whilst we cannot speed up the Government's detailed work programme that will determine whether or not a third runway can go ahead, we can provide certainty for people about what will happen should a third runway be considered viable by the Government.

"I hope these schemes will go some way towards mitigating the impacts of living next to Heathrow Airport."