The fact that PP has already been granted at MME and not at Carlisle is irrelevant to the principle.
At Carlisle it is being opposed because the Council believes that it may be just a front for a road based haulage depot and warehouse facility. Whereas at MME the very same thing is being encouraged. In both cases it may bring extra jobs and etc., but it's happening at both because airport land tends to be flat and accommodates big sheds. At MME there is nothing in the public domain yet that
evidentially ties the proposed investment into development of the actual airport facility and function.
Of course Peel will have to stump up money for the development - that is their business: speculate to accumulate. But if they can speculate on the cheap by getting a big lump of public money, that more than compensates for the losses incurred in the short term with the inconvenience of having to operate an airport.
Peel are expert at "accessing" public funding throughout the UK. There's nothing illegal in that, and that's what the shareholders expect any business of that nature to do. However, as a local council tax payer, I do get annoyed at the commercial naievty shown by our elected representatives (aided by some of the highest paid local government chief exec officers) in dealing with them.
Last edited by Hipennine; 16th Jun 2012 at 09:11.