PHOTO STORY - ISSUED BY STOP STANSTED EXPANSION
Monday 9 February 2009

The photo above shows (left to right):  SSE Treasurer Denise Williams, Takeley Parish Councillor Trevor Allen, Parish Chairman Richard Cheetham and SSE’s Carol Barbone.

£10,000 BOOST TO FIGHT SECOND RUNWAY PLANS

Takeley Parish Council has presented the first installment of a £20,000 pledge to aid Stop Stansted Expansion in its fight against the second runway public inquiry which is scheduled to start on 15 April.

As the parish threatened with the greatest loss of homes, heritage and countryside, the mandate for the donation was given to councillors in a unanimous vote by members of the public at a special parish meeting last summer. 

73 homes including 35 historic buildings, two Scheduled Ancient Monuments and vast tracts of countryside are threatened with destruction by BAA’s proposals which would also have far reaching impacts in terms of community severance, road closures and the loss of local facilities such as the pub and village shop at Molehill Green – as well as Molehill Green village green itself.

Takeley Parish Councillors joined Chairman Richard Cheetham to hand over a giant cheque for £10,000 to SSE Treasurer Denise Williams and Campaign Director Carol Barbone.  The money will be used to fund barrister support for the presentation of SSE’s case. 

Speaking on behalf of the Parish, Cllr Cheetham said:  “Takeley Parish Council and this community have always opposed expansion at Stansted Airport. The Council, supported by the community, believes that this is the most economically efficient way of galvanizing a thorough and expert opposition case to BAA’s proposals. This Council is also drawing on SSE expertise to prepare its own case on behalf of Takeley Parish.”

Donations and pledges to the SSE Second Runway Fighting Fund have now reached £85,000, much of which has come from the 140 parish and town councils which actively support the campaign’s objectives.  The target for the fund, which is ringfenced from other campaigning activities such as the High Court Appeal, is £200,000.  Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by sending a cheque payable to SSE at PO Box 311, Takeley CM23 6PY.  Further information is available from the Campaign Office on 01279 870558.