1,000 City Airport objection letters delivered to Newham Council offices by Santa

Demonstrators fighting the proposed £200million plan to expand London City Airport delivered 1,000 signed objection letters to the Newham Council offices – with a little help from Father Christmas.

Ethel Odiete, who lives close to the airport, dressed up as she handed the letters to the council’s director of strategic regeneration planning and Olympic legacy Jo Negrini.

The planned expansion would allow the airport to accommodate 50,000 extra flights every year.

Also included would be new aeroplane parking areas to accommodate larger aircraft, a parallel taxi lane to optimise runway capacity during its busiest hours and a terminal extension.

Planning permission to increase the number of flights was originally granted by the council in 2009 and neighbours are upping their efforts to oppose the scheme.

Ethel, from North Woolwich, said: “City Airport want to build over the dock and expand their taxiway and my daughter will play under jet fumes and with planes chugging out toxic gases as they wait to take off.

“It’s time City Airport were shut down and let our community breathe.”

And Tamsin Omond, of Sebert Road, Forest Gate, said: “If London City Airport are allowed to do this, things will only get worse.

“I’ve lived in the borough for eight months and I was always interested in the impact of the airport so I got inlvolved in the campiagn.”

Ethel and Tamsin were at the council offices alongside members of The Momentum Project, which is a voluntary organisation that engages with East London communities with sustainable businesses in the area.

“It is not a good move for Newham, the environment, our health and congestion to expand so close to populated area,” said Tamsin.

“We will wait for the council’s response and hope they make the right decision because there is real spirit among the community and the fight is not over.”