Bid to protect Plymouth City Airport land (From This is The West Country)

Bid to protect Plymouth City Airport land

9:57am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in Devon

People have been urged to take part in a letter writing campaign and help secure the future of Plymouth City Airport.

City council leader Tudor Evans has encouraged as many people as possible to write to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for the airport to be protected from housing development.

Mr Evans recognised it would not be possible to protect the land forever, but added the council would use its planning powers to protect it from development “for as long as legally possible.”

Almost 38,000 people have already signed a petition calling for the airport to be saved, organised by the group Viable.

Maddi Bridgeman, one of the organisers of the petition, said she was “horrified” when she heard the airport was to close, telling a meeting of the council: “I am asking you to protect the airport as an airport for the long term.”

She said Plymouth was “hampered geographically” by poor transport connections and stressed there should be no rush to redevelop the land for short term gain. “

Once it has gone, our prospects have gone,” she said. “This is about Plymouth’s long term future. We need to put Plymouth back on the map – globally.”

The city council passed a motion calling on the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for Transport and Business Innovation and Skills to “take action” that would result in Plymouth Airport becoming a national asset, providing a “reliable and extensive commercial air network” for the benefit of local residents and businesses.

The motion adds: “Plymouth City Council firmly believes that the residents and businesses of Plymouth deserve fast, efficient and reliable transport links with the rest of the country and beyond in order for Plymouth to prosper and for its residents to enjoy the freedom of movement enjoyed by most other cities of our size in the UK.”