Campaigners hit out at Coventry Airport expansion plans

[dutchman]

A rural campaign group are criticising plans to build on greenbelt land as part of a £250 million pound redevelopment of Coventry airport.



Last month airport owner Sir Peter Rigby announced plans to add a passenger terminal, a restaurant and a hotel at Baginton and also create a business and technology park for industry and manufacturers.

The project, which bosses say could create up to 10,000 jobs directly and indirectly would take up more than 200 acres of land.

Sir Peter said:

“Our plans to improve the airport’s infrastructure and facilities will benefit the entire West Midlands because we want Coventry Airport to act as an economic catalyst for job creation and income generation.

“The business park element of the scheme will be on the outer ring of the airport and will be a major boost to industry and the local economy because it will support the growth of business adjacent to excellent transport links and diversify the industry and skills of people.”

But the Campaign for Rural England are worried about the impact on the countryside, and Mark Sullivan from there also thinks the jobs promise is unrealistic:

“Coventry has never been able to attract these sorts of jobs. It’s always talked about them, they’ve tended to go to Milton Keynes and Northampton and Birmingham. What is necessary is to provide more jobs in the city centre.

“There’s no shortage of space for more jobs in the city but they aren’t coming. Providing more land for them out on the outside won’t alter that. What the business park I think would do would be provide jobs for people living in the countryside.”