THE proposed plans for a second runway at Stansted are just the next stage in its development into one of the world s largest airports. Unable to get their way all in one go BAA are doing it step by step. By making a few short-term concessions they are em

THE proposed plans for a second runway at Stansted are just the next stage in its development into one of the world's largest airports.

Unable to get their way all in one go BAA are doing it step by step. By making a few short-term concessions they are employing one of the oldest tricks in the book to get their plans through.

If the plans are passed it will surely only be a matter of time before more space is required. Further planning applications can then be expected for more car parks, roads and runways.

BAA will deny it of course - but then they would do wouldn't they?

They certainly chose their words carefully when they stated in Plane Talk "we now regard the existing boundary adjacent to Burton End as fixed for the purpose of our planning application". But what about future planning applications?

Furthermore, those who may have been lulled into a false sense of security by plans to land on one runway and take off on the other should examine the small print carefully.

BAA reserves the right to change this system so that planes can land AND take off on both runways if it needs more capacity.

Christopher Sewell

Sible Hedingham

Essex