Geraldine Nicholson
Chair, No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG)

To build a third runway at Heathrow airport the No Third Runway Action
Group say:

“Schools will be bulldozed or rendered useless, removing parental choice, dislocating children’s lives, disrupting their friendships, and having a detrimental effect on their education. Apart from the 80+ schools in the London Borough of Hounslow that would suffer the disruption of continuous noise throughout every school day, seven schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon would be severely affected. You cannot soundproof playgrounds and you cannot expect our children to breathe in the pollution caused by the runway. Therefore all of the schools listed below would, most likely, have to close. This would lead to overcrowding in the remaining borough schools and have a serious detrimental effect on the education of every single child in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Heathrow Primary School – this school would be demolished because it lies directly in the path of the proposed new runway. This is an Ofsted recommended school. Harmondsworth Primary School lies between the existing northern runway and the new runway – approximately 200m from the proposed new boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels.

William Byrd Primary School – lies to the eastern end of the new runway – some of the school may possibly fall within the airport boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels. This school would also lie within the public safety zone and would be at higher risk than normal of plane crashes, however, there has been no acknowledgement from either the Dft or BAA that this school will, in any way, be affected. Cherry Lane Primary School – lies adjacent to the northern boundary of the M4 – approximately 200m from the proposed new boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels.

Pinkwell Primary School – lies approximately 300m to the north of the M4 at the eastern end of the new runway – approximately 500m from the proposed new boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels.

Harlington Community School – lies adjacent to Pinkwell Primary School – approximately 600m from the proposed new boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels.

Longmead Primary School – lies to the north of the M4 at the westernend of the new runway – approximately 650m from the proposed new boundary. This school would be unusable due to the high levels of pollution and intolerable noise levels.”

When they asked the DCSF for sight of the responses to consultationthis is the reply the received

“We cannot provide the consultation responses requested in your email timed at 12:37 as they do not exist. It is standard policy that Government Department’s do not respond to consultations that are undertaken by other Government Department’s. In line with this, no responses were made by this Department to the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Consultation and the Equalities Impact Assessment. However, the Department for Transport (DfT) did contact many local authorities (who, as we explained in our earlier response, are responsible for the provision of education) as well as other educational groups, who did respond to the consultations.

Similarly, it is policy that one Department does not comment in any detail on an issue or policy that is the responsibility of another Department, hence our stating that DfT is leading on this. If you have not done so already, I can only suggest that you put your questions to DfT. They are responsible for the overarching policy on the future development of Heathrow airport and it is for them to respond to the issues you have raised.”

The Equalities Impact Assessment was to highlight the effect/impact on specific groups, this included children. However, the DCSF did not feel it was necessary to respond. Surely, it is the responsibility of the DCSF to inform the policy before a decision would be made by the DfT?

How do others who are parents in the area feel I am sure the Action group would like to hear from you ?