WELCOME TO FELSTED

We are saddened to have to report that this week Uttlesford District Council Planning Committee approved the application for the expansion of Stansted airport.

In addition, the CAA recently approved as permanent, with no mitigation measures required, the flightpath changes which have seen a doubling of flights over our Parish.

47 Parish Councils objected to the expansion plan.  Cllr Andy Bennett, on behalf of Felsted Parish Council, alongside other Parish Councils and District Councillors, also spoke at the 7.5 hour planning meeting to further object.

The final vote was split 50/50. The Chair of the Committee, Felsted and Stebbing District Councillor Alan Mills,  made the casting vote to approve the application.

The final reasons for passing the application focused on it being a courageous decision for the next generation. We find this a bizarre argument, given that the hottest topic for the next generation is one of polluting our planet and the damage we are doing to our children in their earliest years through poor air quality.

The application to increase passenger numbers within the existing flight cap will by definition also ensure the use of larger, noisier aircraft than previously.

Normally a decision notice would now be issued by Uttlesford District Council, but in this case the Secretary of State has required it to be reviewed by his Department prior to issuing approval.

We thank those residents who have contributed individually through writing and speaking at the public planning events.

We will continue to oppose these plans.

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As a part of the Armistice Day commemoration, alongside local services, our new Parish beacon was lit in the evening as a part of a national marking of the event.

Many of you will also have seen the Spitfire flypast over the Parish.

For those who did not see it, here are pictures of the truly spectacular event and a most appropriate way of remembering.

Further to our earlier news item, Uttlesford District Council (UDC) has announced the registration process for individuals and organisations wanting to speak at a series of 3 public sessions regarding the application by Stansted Airport to increase passenger numbers to 43 million and flights by approximately 100,000 a year.

The new session dates are:

• Tuesday 6 November 2018 – 10am to 1pm
• Wednesday 7 November 2018 – 2pm to 5pm
• Wednesday 7 November 2018 – 6om to 9pm

The deadline for signing up to speak in a 3 minute slot is 12pm on Monday 5 November.

The full release and registration instructions can be read here.

We, as a Parish Council, have strongly objected to what we believe to be insufficient time to ensure awareness of, and preparation for, these important sessions.

We have registered to speak against the application at the Planning meeting on 14th November.

We are objecting to the increase in noise as a result of the increase in aircraft numbers by over 40%, and an increase in aircraft size.  Further details of the position we are taking on behalf of Felsted residents can be read in our previous news item here.

If you have concerns about the application then it is important that UDC hears Felsted voices at these sessions. Each slot is just 3 minutes long and you can speak from pre-prepared notes, so there is no pressure to remember what you might want to say.

For more information please contact Cllr Andy Bennett