A Society Dedicated to Preserving and enhancing the environment of the Stour and Orwell AONB

The new route was developed in order to increase capacity for air traffic controllers and was also designed to reduce the impacts upon the Dedham Vale, the south western corner of which had been extensively overflown. Since then, air traffic controllers have taken it upon themselves to direct the vast majority of planes between the pre-existing and newly approved flightpaths - a new route which is now down the middle of our peninsula (over the Stour and Orwell AONBs) and also - ironically - across a greater area of the Dedham Vale AONB than before! These arrangements were not properly consulted or assessed for their environmental impacts.

Because of this the CAA was recently taken to Court by Tom Hill, a local barrister living at Bentley, and the Dedham Vale Society. The case was not pursued to a final judgement because the CAA promised to review all air traffic over southern East Anglia taking into account properly its environmental impacts on these AONBs. This is particularly important as traffic using Stansted is proposed to increase by 75% using the existing runway and if a second runway is built to 400% of present levels. The review secured by the High Court case has commenced and if the views of residents on the ShotleyPeninsula are to be properly presented then a co-ordinated and reasoned response is needed.

In view of the success, so far, of the Dedham Vale Society in seeking to protect its AONB it has been suggested that we should consider starting a similar body - possibly to be named the ‘Stour and Orwell Society’ (SOS). It would represent the views of individuals and supplement the efforts of existing special interest organisations such as wildlife groups etc. The objective would be to keep people throughout the peninsula informed of significant environmental issues – not just Stansted, although this could be a live issue to start with - as they arise and provide the means of a speedy and co-ordinated response when it becomes necessary. It could also promote and encourage interest and research into the environmental assets of the peninsula – its landscape, ecology and archaeology, for example – so that when a development proposal comes along we are better placed to understand its likely impacts. It would, of course, liaise with other interest groups and statutory authorities.

If you are interested in joining or helping to form such a body then please send your contact details by e-mail to: stourandorwell@btconnect.com

If you do not have e-mail then perhaps you could add your name to a list compiled by a friend who does, or telephone: 01473 311155 and leave your address and telephone number. If a positive response is received then we will come back to you with further details. Your contact details will be used for no other purpose

THINK AHEAD AND HELP TO SAFEGUARD OUR ENVIRONMENT

We are fortunate to live in or near to the Shotley Peninsula and enjoy its delightful countryside. The Stour and Orwell rivers are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB’s) and other parts of our peninsula are designated as Special Landscape Areas. Also, Alton Water is being sympathetically developed for the benefit of nature lovers and for quiet outdoor sporting activities. There are, however, mounting pressures from several directions: the large-scale housing project at Shotley; extensions to the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich; and greatly increased over-flying, at much lower levels than before, by commercial aircraft to and from Stansted and Luton Airports

Regarding air traffic, there was no significant over-flying of the peninsula prior to March 2004 when a new route taking inbound traffic north of Ipswich was approved - to replace the pre-existing CLACTON/SUDBURY flight path.

We need you to object to a second runway at Stansted by 26th September 2008 - click for details