Prescott U-turn casts doubt over airport plan

News

03 July 1998

Peel Holdings and MEPC have both submitted proposals for an airport and business park at the 405ha (1,000 acre) RAF Finningley site near Doncaster, which was put up for sale by the MOD last year. MEPC director Gavin Davidson said the plans would have an impact on other regional airports.

The government gave its backing to the proposals last months when MOD minister John Spellar wrote to local Labour MPs saying that the government supported plans for the new regional airport. But Prescott’s department has stalled the sale following an attack on Finningley by Humberside International Airport, a regional airport in Prescott’s Hull East constituency.

Following Prescott’s intervention, the MOD has delayed its decision on a preferred bidder. Originally scheduled for June, it has now been put back by up to two months. The U-turn has provoked an angry response form Finningley’s supporters. North Lincolnshire councillor Don Steward said: “Prescott is delaying a decision that would have benefits for this part of the world out of purely political motives. I am very disappointed.”

Humberside International’s chief executive Richard Jenner wrote to Prescott objecting to the Finningley plans with the support of his board, which is made up of Labour councillors form the four local authorities which own it. He has since received assurances in a letter from DETR transport policy adviser Mike Porter, confirming that DETR has intervened in the sale. “You read in the news that the DETR has given its support to this venture. This is not the case,” he writes.

A DETR spokesman claimed that Finningley supporters had been mistakenly told that the government supported the airpot plans after a ministerial mix-up. “Spellar got it wrong. He said the government supported a new regional commercial airport, which isn’t in fact true& We can’t support it one way or the other.”

EGi News 03/07/98

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has sparked a political row by withdrawing support for a new regional airport in Yorkshire in an attempt to safeguard the future of a rival airport in his own constituency. Peel Holdings and MEPC have both submitted proposals for an airport and business park at the 405ha (1,000 acre) RAF Finningley site near Doncaster, which was put up for sale by the MOD last year. MEPC director Gavin Davidson said the plans would have an impact on other regional airports. The government gave its backing to the proposals last months when MOD minister John Spellar wrote to local Labour MPs saying that the government supported plans for the new regional airport. But Prescott’s department has stalled the sale following an attack on Finningley by Humberside International Airport, a regional airport in Prescott’s Hull East constituency. Following Prescott’s intervention, the MOD has delayed its decision on a preferred bidder. Originally scheduled for June, it has now been put back by up to two months. The U-turn has provoked an angry response form Finningley’s supporters. North Lincolnshire councillor Don Steward said: “Prescott is delaying a decision that would have benefits for this part of the world out of purely political motives. I am very disappointed.” Humberside International’s chief executive Richard Jenner wrote to Prescott objecting to the Finningley plans with the support of his board, which is made up of Labour councillors form the four local authorities which own it. He has since received assurances in a letter from DETR transport policy adviser Mike Porter, confirming that DETR has intervened in the sale. “You read in the news that the DETR has given its support to this venture. This is not the case,” he writes. A DETR spokesman claimed that Finningley supporters had been mistakenly told that the government supported the airpot plans after a ministerial mix-up. “Spellar got it wrong. He said the government supported a new regional commercial airport, which isn’t in fact true& We can’t support it one way or the other.” EGi News 03/07/98