Airport eXpansion Opposition accepts the need for a small regional airport at Southampton, whilst acknowledging that the Climate Crisis means we must all fly less.
Latest news
Legal action on airport extension decision
Opponents of the planned expansion of Southampton Airport are to mount a legal challenge to the decision by Eastleigh Borough Council to approve the runway extension. They have instructed a legal team led by law firm Leigh Day and David Wolfe QC to pursue the case, and are launching a public appeal for money to help finance the action. To support the costs of the legal action AXO has set up a crowdfunder
Opponents including AXO believe strongly that the council’s decision was wrong both in the way it was taken and the arguments to justify it. The airport has greatly overstated the economic benefits of expansion, which will adversely affect the quality of lives of 46,000 residents, whilst hugely underplaying the environmental impact. We believe strongly that the council’s decision was wrong both in the way it was taken and the arguments to justify it.
We know we have widespread support in the community. Many more people have joined our mailing list since the planning meeting when the true impacts on local people were laid bare. We believe that the decision should undergo independent scrutiny, and urge those who agree with us to contribute to the appeal. Eastleigh Borough Council approved the runway extension last month, overruling a vote by its local area committee to reject it. On June 3rd it then gave formal grant of consent despite the fact that the Secretary of State had yet to decide whether or not to ‘call in’ the decision.
Legal action is now the only possible mechanism for ensuring that the expansion plans can be objectively assessed. The airport has claimed that pursuing legal action will lead to a delay in the “creation of 265 jobs” for the construction phase at a time of high unemployment. But these jobs will only last for the 8 months of the construction process, so are hardly a long term solution to unemployment. As for delaying the process… the airport itself introduced a 4 month delay by withdrawing the planning application last November with barely a week’s notice!
If you agree with us about this damaging development please contribute what you can towards the costs and join our mailing list for updates.
What can I do?
Donate
Please donate whatever you can to the crowdfunder. If everyone who lives under the flight path gave £10 we would have what we need!
Join us and spread the word
Join us to find out how you can get involved. Please email foesoton@gmail.com and paste: “Please add me to your mailing list. I agree you can email me about Southampton Friends of the Earth.” ( The AXO mailing list is coordinated by Friends of the Earth Southampton.)
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Use these hashtags on social media: #NoSOUExpansion #NoAirportExpansion #Southampton #Eastleigh #Hampshire #ClimateEmergency #NoisePollution #AirPollution #ClimateJustice #SOUairport #AXOSOU #HealthCrisis #greenwash
Thank you for all your support.
Read our blog
Green Aviation – reality or greenwash?
The expansion of Southampton airport is forecast by its owners to produce an additional 370 kt CO2eq emissions per year, taking the total to over 600 kt (equivalent to all homes, businesses and transport in the entire Borough of Eastleigh. Or up to twice that amount, according to a recent report by the New EconomicsContinue reading “Green Aviation – reality or greenwash?”
Report claims climate change impacts at Southampton Airport could be almost twice as high as previously claimed
The climate impact of the planned Southampton Airport expansion could be almost twice as high as its proponents claim, according to research from the New Economics Foundation (NEF). https://neweconomics.org/2021/05/turbulence-expected. The report finds that the scheme is likely to account for an increase in annual airport-level emissions of up to 654,000 tonnes of CO2 and CO2-equivalentContinue reading “Report claims climate change impacts at Southampton Airport could be almost twice as high as previously claimed”
AXO update – keeping you informed
Following the vote by Eastleigh Council to approve the extension to Southampton Airport runway we’ve received lots of offers of support and new members. So many people are concerned about how much noise pollution would impact their lives. People are also worried about the impact of expanding aviation on climate and the risk of furtherContinue reading “AXO update – keeping you informed”
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