The Cliffe idea may well be just one of several alternatives to make it look like they are considering several options before they do what is already decided and build a second runway at Stansted, plus maybe a third.. .. .It's a refinement of the 1979-84 tactics to do Stansted in the first place. In 1979 the Government announced that Stansted was to be the 3rd London airport. In 1982 they appointed a planning inspector to hold an inquiry into the alternatives which included Maplin, Cublington/Wing, a 5th terminal at Heathrow, etc. as well as Stansted. . .. .The 5th terminal at Heathrow was rejected because BAA said it could never be built as there was an immoveable sewage farm in the way.. .. .The inspector looked at all of the others before recommending Stansted in 1984, of course, but with only 1 runway. Meanwhile BAA had been buying up the local land to provide for both - why wait for the decision as it was already really made?. .. .As soon as Stansted was approved, BAA set about getting the immoveable sewage farm moved to make way for the Heathrow 5th terminal - which they no doubt wanted all the time, but after Stansted not before. Now they have that approved, it's back to plan A - 2nd runway at Stansted, for which they have now probably bought enough land.. .. .A new exit from the M11 to Stansted is well under way, causing havoc, but it will be nicely ready in time to prove to the future planning inquiry that there will be enough road access for Stansted's 2nd and 3rd runways, whereas there is insufficient infrastructure to support any of the other "alternatives".