Huge vote in favour of London Ashford Airport referendums
15.03.07
Referendums will held in Lydd and New Romney on expansion plans at London Ashford Airport (Lydd) after locals voted overwhelmingly for the polls. Shepway District Council will organise the poll and must be held some time within the next month.
London Ashford Airport has submitted two planning applications, one for a new terminal building, able to manage up to 500,000 passengers a year, and the other for a 294m / 965ft runway extension with an additional 150m / 492ft starter extension.
Campaigners against the plans used the Local Government Act to call meetings seeking the polls. Some 400 people attended the two events, with only 11 votes against the referendums.
A Shepway council spokesman said the referendums would be held simultaneously between 16:00 and 21:00, on a date yet to be fixed, with only registered voters attending in person entitled to take part. New Romney and Lydd and residents will be asked one question: 'Do you support the proposed expansion of London Ashford Airport, including any runway extension?'
Zaher Deir, London Ashford Airport Managing Director, criticised the polls as 'a waste of local taxpayers money', adding that there had already been sufficient public consultation carried out by Kent County Council and Shepway District Council.
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