GOVERNMENT PROMISE ON AIRPORT COMPENSATION CAST ASIDE
Press release issued by SSE on behalf of TAKELEY PARISH COUNCIL
14 December 2005
An application from Takeley Parish Council for Judicial Review of BAA's Home Owner Support Scheme was rejected at a permission hearing at the High Court today.
The ruling means that BAA will not be forced to compensate local residents who are unable to sell their homes as a result of expansion proposals for Stansted Airport.
The Government had promised in its Air Transport White Paper that the airport operator would need to put in place a scheme to address the problem of generalised blight resulting from the expansion plans. However, the High Court decided that the Government promise had no legal force and that BAA could not be legally challenged for failing to provide satisfactory compensation arrangements.
Commenting on the outcome, Trevor Allen, Chairman of Takeley Parish Council said: "Today's ruling has revealed the extent of the complicity between BAA and the Government in trying to expand Stansted on the cheap and at the expense of local people. The Government's White Paper promise to protect people blighted by the prospect of airport development clearly isn't worth the paper it is printed on. Its failure to compel BAA to introduce a fair and decent compensation scheme means that thousands of homeowners will continue to suffer from generalised blight until the expansion proposals are overturned."
Takeley Parish Council is taking advice from its barristers on the opportunities for lodging an appeal.
ENDS
Further information/comment:
Trevor Allen
Chairman, Takeley Parish Council
01279 870106David Fossett
Parish Clerk, Takeley Parish Council
M 07785 788684
SSE Supporters at the Royal Courts of Justice for the Takeley Parish Council HOSS Challenge on 13 December 2005
Related links:
"BAA to face challenge in European Court of Human Rights" - press release issued 5 November 2006 by Takeley Parish Council
"New runway compensation bid fails" - report from BBC 14 December 2005
"Parliamentary Support for Those Affected by Airport Blight Reinforces High Court Challenge to BAA" - press release issued 29 November 2005 by Takeley Parish Council
"Cost of Airport Blight Now Exceeds £600 Million" - press release issued 23 August 2005 by SSE
"Takeley Parish Council Renews Claim for Judicial Review of BAA's HOSS Compensation Scheme" - press release issued 14 March 2005 by Takeley Parish Council
"HOSS legal challenge thrown out by judge" - Dunmow Observer 10 March 2005
"BAA Slur Condemned by Takeley Parish Council" - press release issued 25 January 2005 by Takeley Parish Council
"BAA the Target of Legal Action Over Expansion Blight" - press release issued 2 January 2005 by Takeley Parish Council
"Legal Action Initiated Over Stansted Expansion Blight" - press release issued 16 November 2004 by Takeley Parish Council
"Victims of a Petrified Housing Market" - press release issued 2 October 2004 by SSE
Open letter to BAA on the revised scheme - sent 7 Oct 2004 by Takeley Parish Council
"BAA DISREGARDS COMPENSATION OBLIGATIONS" - press release issued 21 September 2004 by SSE
BAA's "Home Owner Support Scheme" - revised September 2004 (Acrobat ® format, 1.2 MB)
"New initiative launched at Stansted" - press release issued 21 September 2004 by BAA
Response to BAA's original consultation - issued 6 May 2004 by Takeley Parish Council
