Call for Heathrow compensation for residents

Heathrow's recent consultation showed just how much the planned expansion is likely to affect people's day-to-day lives. Although the Council has been a long-standing supporter of Heathrow expansion due to the economic benefits, it is imperative that residents are properly compensated.

The Council is particularly concerned that, under the current proposals, no Spelthorne residents will benefit from the package of measures known as the "Wider Property Offer Zone". These measures include residents being able to sell their home at the market value of the property "as if expansion had never been promised or taken place" plus a 25% uplift.

Excluding south of the airport from the WPOZ suggests that Heathrow has come to the conclusion that Spelthorne communities will not be newly impacted by expansion. That assumption is simply wrong.

We say that communities will be newly impacted by:

• airport development brought far closer to homes, families and schools
• construction, bringing enormous disruption to the local area
• more flights, both before and after expansion, with associated noise and air quality challenges
• more traffic coming on to local roads due to planned reconfiguration of routes
• more airline passengers parking in local roads to avoid airport parking costs
• more taxi and private hire vehicles waiting in residential roads with associated littering and annoyance to local residents
• loss of valued open space
• ecological impact on Staines Moor
• loss of community spirit
• effect on property prices and being able to sell their homes

Cllr Ian Harvey, Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, said: "Whilst we recognise the economic benefits that expansion can bring to the local area as well as nationally, it is important that we continue to fight for our residents to be properly compensated and left with community legacy benefits. We must not be the poor relation in terms of the compensation packages on offer elsewhere".

Leaflets are being sent to residents in Stanwell and Stanwell Moor to raise awareness of the likely impact of Heathrow expansion and what the Council is asking Heathrow to do to address it.

The Council has previously published a list of 10 demands that it is seeking from Heathrow on behalf of its residents.

Issued: May 2018