Strong words at special parish council meeting opposing World Logistics Hub (From Messenger Newspapers)

Strong words at special parish council meeting opposing World Logistics Hub

12:00pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News By Kate Banks, Reporter

OVER 80 people were at a special parish council meeting to oppose the planned World Logistic Hub ‘on the doorstep’ of Hale Barns on September 5.

Attending were Hale Barns residents, members of the A556 Lobby Group, Ringway Parish Council, the Save Sunbank group and the Stop Expansion to Manchester Airport action group.

Organisers oppose the planned Hub, which if it goes ahead would see would see 43 cargo warehouses and almost 1,500 car parking spaces accessed through the ‘realigned’ entrance through Sunbank Lane, on the grounds it will cause ‘irreversible destruction’ to 90 acres of former greenbelt countryside and cause traffic ‘chaos’.
 

Matt Parkinson, from the A556 Lobby Group, said: “We have long suspected that the proposed A556 bypass has more to do with facilitating Government plans for the massive expansion of Manchester Airport, than to provide an ‘environmental improvement’ to the people living alongside the current A556.

“We expressed our concerns that the developments around Manchester Airport are being brought to the public’s attention piecemeal; these will affect a much wider surrounding area ultimately engulfing significant parts of Cheshire into the planned “Airport City” and supporting infrastructure.”
 

Hale barns resident, Jerry Williams, said consultation for the proposed hub has been ‘inappropriate’ and ‘laughable’.

“The airport has essentially only consulted people that will support their view.

“They consulted residents in Manchester city, not from around where the expansion will take place, and found people were generally in favour.

“The 140 consultees were mainly businesses at the airport, as well as some statutory residents.”
 

Helen LeCaplain, from Save Sunbank, said that as the consultation period for the Hub has been kept quiet, residents now only have until September 21 to make their opposition felt through letters to MPs and councillors and the signing of a petition.

To sign the petition visit change.org/en-GB/petitions/save-sunbank-lane-from-manchester-airport-s-expansion-plans.
 

For more information email savesunbank@gmail.com, call Audrey O’Donovan on 0161 233 0791 or Matt Parkinson on 07941 432 128.