We are still awaiting the decision on whether a Judicial Review will be allowed to go ahead on the decision by The Secretary of State for Transport. The Secretary chose to ignore the recommendation of the Planning Inquiry to refuse the Development Consent Order (DCO) to expand Luton Airport and instead granted permission for expansion.
In the meantime, the applicant, and owner, of the airport Luton Rising (LR), and the airport operator London Luton Airport Operations Ltd (LLAOL), have embarked on a charm offensive to once again exaggerate the employment and economic benefits of an expansion.
Whilst local, regional and national media interest across all platforms, have been reporting the loss of the Vauxhall Motors van production plant in the Luton, and the job losses there, both LR and LLAOL have intruded on that sad situation to state how their expansion plans, will bring employment to those who have lost their livelihoods.
Any new airport jobs are many years away, and to purport that those who are now urgently seeking employment should wait until then, is we feel, in rather poor taste. Unless of course, there are current unfilled vacancies at the airport, which then leads to the valid question, if no one wants the low paid/poor hours airport jobs now, who will want them in the future?
In a television media broadcast, an LR spokesperson reiterated that expansion would bring 11,000 well-paid career opportunities. The following article, is based on that broadcast: –
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8z1w0xdd8o
The Chair of LR states in this article, however that expansion COULD bring 11,000 new jobs. It can be argued that 1 new job, fulfils the UP TO 11,000 job prophecy. That is the issue. However, we know that expansion will definitely bring increased noise and air pollution; it will definitely bring more road traffic and congestion, and it will definitely make the quality of life for those suffering with current airport operations far worse.
Expansion onto Wigmore Valley Park will not only bring the above but will also bring (for the local community) the health hazards involved in excavating into the municipal refuse tip which sits below the park. We have all seen recently the catastrophic health issues caused in Corby, Northants, when developments were allowed on the ex-steelworks’ sites there.
Are the residents of Luton to be expected to live with windows closed for the years this development will take?
So, is the PR campaign of LLAOL/LR to paint the expansion as the saviour of not only Luton, but the whole of Bedfordshire, all that they say it is? At the same time the Chair of LLAOL, was giving the interview above, he was also giving this one: –
Let us have a look at the balance scales, of how expansion, or no expansion if the environmental conditions can’t be met, fall for LLAOL and LR.
If expansion progresses, LLAOL will have a nice new long term Concession Contract to operate the airport. This Contract will have been negotiated to get the very best return possible, as not only will they have to pay for this circa £3.5 billion Development, but they will also have to pay off the circa £750 million debts of LR, as they have loans to pay off, and that is their only strategy for paying them off, is to get someone else to pay.
If expansion fails, LLAOL will simply carry on making the impressive returns they currently do, until their current Contract expires in 2032, and simply say thanks and walk away.
If expansion progresses, LR will be at the whims of LLAOL in negotiating a new Concession to cover those costs, and LR’s debts, so will have to take whatever is laid before them, just like the force majeure battles during Covid, all of which were won by LLAOL.
If expansion fails, LR, and indeed Luton Borough Council, are in serious financial straits. No expansion means no money to pay off those huge debts, which are due for payments in 2028 and 2031.
So, the balance scales aren’t even remotely balanced, the LR side is firmly stuck down, whatever happens with expansion. They have been in that position for the past 10 years, rusted stiff, since LR decided it wanted to play at running and developing the airport, rather than observing the key tenet of the first Concession Agreement of 1998, that the Concessionaire would meet all development costs, to protect Luton residents from large debts.
As President Trump said of the Ukraine/Russia conflict, “Putin holds all the cards, Ukraine has none to play”LLAOL hold all the cards, and the jokers, and the box the cards came in.
LR just have the flimsy plastic wrapping, which is no use to anyone.
Donations for the Judicial Review fighting fund can still be made at:
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-luton-airport-expansion