Backing for airport expansion proposals
CITY COUNCILLORS have supported plans to expand Leeds Bradford Airport in order to accommodate an extra million passengers per year.
Early plans for a new terminal building at the site have been discussed by Leeds City Council’s city plans panel.
It followed an announcement from the airport earlier this month that it would invest £12m into the scheme, which would increase capacity and include a new arrivals hall.
The meeting heard how plans for the site included a bigger immigration area and extra UK Border Force desks, as well as a larger customs area and a bigger baggage reclaim facility.
A representative from Leeds Bradford Airport said: “Its a fresh new start for the airport, it’s a new beginning for the airport.
“We are looking to submit the application next month and have facilities open for autumn next year.”
He added that this would free up the airport to rennovate the rest of the terminal, and would lead to a total investment of around £20m-£25m.
Chairing the committee, Coun James Mckenna said: “You can’t run a modern airport from nine to five – you have to have flights when people want to travel. We want to see the airport develop.”
A report had been submitted to council chiefs claiming the terminal has been “subject to piecemeal development for several decades” and has not kept pace with the “expectations of a modern airport”. FRACKING AT the UK’s first horizontal shale gas well is expected to start next week, despite a judge granting an interim order to stop the work.
Francis Egan, chief executive of energy firm Cuadrilla, said he was confident the controversial hydraulic fracturing process would begin at the site in Lancashire within a week, despite continued protests.
A High Court hearing will be held on Wednesday after Lancashire campaigner Bob Dennett applied for an injunction to stop the work going ahead pending the determination of a judicial review case against Lancashire County Council, which claims the authority’s emergency response planning and procedures were inadequate. A court order issued by Mrs Justice Farbey requires Cuadrilla to stop any fracking pending the outcome of the hearing.
Speaking at a media day on the Preston New Road site in Little Plumpton, near Blackpool, Mr Egan said: “We have everything on site, everything has been set up, everything has been tested and we should be ready to start fracturing next week.”
Cuadrilla said work had not been scheduled to start before the hearing on Wednesday. Speaking after the request for the injunction was made, Mr Egan said: “I think it’s probably a last gasp attempt at trying to frustrate the process, trying to slow down the process, but no, this is going to go ahead. “I’m confident about that.” On Friday, small group of protesters with placards remained outside the site, which has two of the horizontal shale gas exploration wells.
The firm will test gas to see whether it is viable, but if the operation is a success up to 20 wells could be built and the site could provide gas to homes across Lancashire. Laura Hughes, of Cuadrilla, said gas production on the land would be expected to last for 20-30 years. A NORTHERN Ireland veteran charged with attempted murder has joined protesters rallying against investigations into troops who fought in the Troubles.
A small group gathered outside the Ministry of Defence in London yesterday to demand the end to probes into historical allegations.
Others were expected to meet outside Army recruitment centres elsewhere in the UK to issue warnings to prospective soldiers.
Dennis Hutchings, a 77-yearold former member of the Life Guards regiment, is accused in relation to the fatal shooting of a man with learning difficulties in 1974. He joined protesters in Plymouth.
Mr Hutchings said the historic investigations are “absolutely appalling” and called for a statute of limitations on offences for service personnel.
“We’re in a situation where we’re being hounded by lawyers,” he added. The Government has hung us veterans out to dry.”
Mr Hutchings, from Cawsand in Cornwall, is due to stand trial in Belfast charged with attempted murder and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. He denies the charges.
John Pat Cunningham, 27, was shot in the back in Co Armagh as he ran away from an Army patrol. His family argued that he ran across a field because he feared men in uniform.
A Government spokeswoman stressed the welfare of veterans and serving personnel is of the “utmost importance”.