Unfortunately SEERA is still subject to Government policy and the aviation white paper which supports substantial development at LGW and LHR.
Anyone with an interest should look at the "examination in public" of the SEERA draft report carried out by the "Government office for the South-East"
Among many other things is a recommendation that policy T9 is amended in line with the aviation white paper, and that opinion was divided within SEERA itself about this issue ("strong views were expressed at the examination"!)
Some quotes-
"It was argued there should be a presumption against aviation expansion in the region due to clear adverse environmental impacts"
However, balancing this with economic needs,
"We heard no convincing evidence against keeping open the option to provide an additional runway at Gatwick, which in any event is already safguarded in the emerging Crawley LDF."
Apparantly LHR does not lie within the region covered by SEERA.
The examiners report did not refer to Manston.
It would seem that despite attempts by SEERA to plug MSE in preference to LGW/LHR, central government is no more interested in Manston than is the travelling public.
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Last edited by deedave; 30th Aug 2007 at 17:20.