My 5-point plan to Save Our Airport
1. Rescind planning permission for 350 houses next to main terminal
2. Set up Mayoral Development Agency to develop the Airport in partnership with private enterprise
3. Tell owners Peel Airports to choose between putting money into airport expansion or selling to a public/private partnership
4. Experienced professionals to run the Airport, not civil servants or council officers
5. Increase numbers of trains calling at the Airport and move the station closer to the main terminal
1. Rescind planning permission for 350 houses next to main terminal
2. Set up Mayoral Development Agency to develop the Airport in partnership with private enterprise
3. Tell owners Peel Airports to choose between putting money into airport expansion or selling to a public/private partnership
4. Experienced professionals to run the Airport, not civil servants or council officers
5. Increase numbers of trains calling at the Airport and move the station closer to the main terminal
As candidate for Tees Valley Mayor, living in Darlington, I am 100% behind the campaign to Save Durham Tees Valley Airport. I have joined the committee set up by Kevin Brack to discuss next steps. When Labour-controlled Darlington Council stupidly gave planning permission for 350 house to be built right next to the terminal building, I immediately wrote to government minister Sajid Javid asking him to rescind this idiotic decision using his powers under the Town & Country Panning Act. I am not atall concerned that Kevin Brack is Ukip’s Darlington branch secretary. On the contrary, my view is that ALL parties should join together to fight for this common cause for the good of all. I deplore the fact that Labour Mayor candidate Sue Jeffrey has refused to join, as has Tory Ben Houchen. Tory Mayor candidate Houchen says he will “buy back” the Airport, using our money of course. As it stands, we would simply be buying a loss-making enterprise. And who would run the Airport? It should be run by professionals, not by civil servants or council officers. Tory Ben’s “proposal” is a mistaken, badly thought out, back-of-the-envelope job. Like his ideas of abolishing Cleveland Police and making the “Parmo” Teesside’s national dish, it is just one of his various gimmicks designed to grab the headlines.
As Mayor, you can be ABSOLUTELY SURE that I will use my Mayoral powers to the maximum to Save Durham Tees Valley Airport. - Chris Foote Wood (with neighbour Sheila Powers. Both used to fly from Teesside Airport.
As Mayor, you can be ABSOLUTELY SURE that I will use my Mayoral powers to the maximum to Save Durham Tees Valley Airport. - Chris Foote Wood (with neighbour Sheila Powers. Both used to fly from Teesside Airport.
I SAY CANCEL AIRPORT HOUSING PLAN I have written to the Rt Hon Sajid David MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, asking him to use his powers under Section 100 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to revoke the planning permission given by Darlington Borough Council to build 350 houses at Durham Tees Valley Airport. He needs to do this before work starts and so prevents his intervention.
I am absolutely confident that this case falls within the very narrow limits of his powers, on the grounds that (as it states in the Act) ‘damage is likely to be done to the wider public interest’. It is clearly ‘in the wider public interest’ for the Tees Valley, which includes the Borough of Darlington, that the airport should be expanded. Under the Tees Valley Devolution Agreement, substantial new powers and additional money will come to the Tees Valley. The resulting increased economic activity and improved road and rail links will undoubtedly mean increased traffic for the airport.
This new housing will inhibit expansion of the Airport and will damage the overall plans we have for the Tees Valley.
I am absolutely confident that this case falls within the very narrow limits of his powers, on the grounds that (as it states in the Act) ‘damage is likely to be done to the wider public interest’. It is clearly ‘in the wider public interest’ for the Tees Valley, which includes the Borough of Darlington, that the airport should be expanded. Under the Tees Valley Devolution Agreement, substantial new powers and additional money will come to the Tees Valley. The resulting increased economic activity and improved road and rail links will undoubtedly mean increased traffic for the airport.
This new housing will inhibit expansion of the Airport and will damage the overall plans we have for the Tees Valley.
Only ONE candidate at Airport meeting I was the ONLY candidate to attend the Save Our Airport meeting in Darlington on April 11th. Labour’s Sue Jeffrey from Redcar says NOTHING about Darlington in her election leaflet, doesn’t even mention the Airport of which she is a BOARD MEMBER! Stockton Tory Ben Houchen likewise says NOTHING about Darlington in his election leaflet. He says he will “buy back” Teesside Airport. Ukip’s John Tennant from Hartlepool doesn’t want the job of Mayor and will RESIGN if the (very expensive) referendum he wants votes “No”. His idea of "action" to Save Our Airport is to "talk to the Council" (!)
Conflict of interest? Labour Mayoral candidate Sue Jeffrey is a board member of Durham Tees Valley airport which plans to build 350 houses next to the main terminal building, restricting future development. She is also a member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority.