Luton Airport Public Inquiry

Luton Airport Public Inquiry – progress update from LADACAN
What’s happening?
The Public Inquiry into the attempt by Luton Airport to legitimise its multiple breaches of noise controls opens on 27th September. LADACAN is representing the interests of local communities impacted by the excess noise from flights which are now “bouncing back” towards previous levels.
This Inquiry will be the first time for over 15 years that any independent light has been shone on the planning decisions relating to Luton Airport – normally they are just made by its ultimate owner and financial beneficiary Luton Borough Council. Just getting to this point was a huge achievement.
What’s been achieved so far?
We have pulled out all the stops, and thanks to massive support from local people who been very generous we’ve raised sufficient funds to engage a team of experts and an advocate to help us face the Airport operator and Luton Council with equivalent talent on our side:
Richard Wald KC, an environmental, planning and public lawyer
Alastair Skelton, a town planning expert
Seth Roberts – a professional acoustician
Cait Hewitt – a climate change policy expert
Dr Alex Chapman – a socio-economics expert
Together, and supported by the expert local knowledge built up over the last 12 years by Andrew Lambourne, our Chair, the team has developed and submitted a hard-hitting set of Proofs of Evidence to match those from the other parties.
To fund this, we and the other community groups, with generous support from a matched funding charity, have raised some £75,000 so far. This is an incredible achievement, and has been matched by a huge amount of unpaid voluntary effort all round.
What’s the remaining target?
We’re on the final furlong now, and need to raise just another £15,000 to be sure of covering the costs of appearances at the Inquiry by our experts and our KC.
We know we can count on local people to give us this support, since by putting down some very clear markers that profligate noise increases will not be tolerated, planning conditions are there to be respected, and governance matters, we hope to slow down the DCO threat.
If you are able to assist, please use LADACAN’s GoFundMe page with its initial £10K target, or email for online transfer details. Together we can do it. Thank you. https://gofund.me/3d997128

Attachments

File	File size
LADACAN Progress report on Inquiry 150922	110 KB
Luton Airport Public Inquiry timetable	61 KB