GATWICK: “Appalled at apparent attempt to hijack the council into an unconsidered rushed decision”

Pieter Montyn, the council’s cabinet member for Highways and Transport, is urging members to support ‘in principle’ the expansion of Gatwick Airport.

The debate will take place tomorrow on the same day Gatwick Airport Limited will be submitting plans for a second runway to the Airports Commission.

Reacting to the WSCC motion for debate, Brendon Sewill, GACC chair and spokesperson said: “We are absolutely amazed and astonished that this motion is being put forward with unseemly haste.

“It is a major decision and Gatwick has not yet published their plans, let alone have councillors had any chance to discuss the implications of the plans when they are announced.

The anti-expansion campaigner added: “To put it down as an urgent motion is quite astonishing and quite unnecessary.

“Therefore we very much hope the county council will actually decide to behave in a sensible fashion to study the plans after they are announced.

“The Airports Commission is not reaching a decision until summer 2015, so there is two years to engage with the commission and submit factual evidence.

“We are appalled by this apparent attempt to hijack the council into an unconsidered rushed decision.”

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