Go-ahead for Kent airport expansion angers green lobby
You cant make an omlette with cracking a few eggs. Parts of Kent are far less affluent than people think. Parts of rural Kent need infrastructure investment to keep them viable. As this article demonstrates such investments are not without their detractors. I dont think I agree however with the apocalyptic vision offered by the RSPB spokesman offered here in relation to this example of rural economic development. You may have your own views!
The article tells us:
The Campaign to Protect Rural England said: “This is a terrible decision which threatens one of the few remaining areas of rural tranquillity in a heavily pressured South-east, and in a county once proudly described as the Garden of England.
“If there are any economic benefits, which is unlikely, they will be heavily outweighed by the environmental damage that it will cause on so many levels.”
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds conservation director Martin Harper said: “Dungeness is a special place for nature which is recognised globally for the importance of its wildlife, this decision means nowhere is safe and signals that nature is in trouble in the face of unfettered growth – these are worrying times for all who care for Britain’s wildlife.”
Opponents said they would consider all legal options to have the decision overturned.
But Councillor Robert Bliss, leader of Shepway Council, said the Government’s ruling vindicated the approval granted by the council in March 2010.
“The area is losing its power stations at Dungeness and there is no other significant employer waiting in the wings,” he said. “An expanded airport will have the capacity to provide a range of jobs, and this must be good for our Marsh community.”