Build Magazine July 2015

Build Magazine 21 The Commission is clear: further delay will be increasingly costly and will be seen, nationally and internationally, as a sign that the UK is unwilling or unable to take the steps needed to maintain its position as a well-connected open trading economy in the twenty first century. Now is the time for Government decision and action. Your Government must support UK businesses by implementing the Air- ports Commission’s recommendation and expand Heathrow.’ Signatories of the letter include Sir Nigel Rudd, Heathrow Airports’ Chairman; Carolyn McCall, CEO of EasyJet; Connor Hennebry, the Managing Director of Deutsche Bank and Alastair Kennedy, Communications Director of the Global Energy Group. The letter also had strong support from the construction industry, with Nick Fletcher, Managing Director of Infrastructure for Morgan Sindall; Mace Group Chief Executive Mark Reynolds and Former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering Sir John Parker among those giving their voice to the issue by signing the letter. John Holland Kaye, Heathrow’s CEO stated that this expansion was vital in maintaining Britain’s place in the global economy. ‘The Prime Minister showed leadership in establishing an independent Airports Commission. It unanimously concluded that expanding Heathrow is the best way of securing Britain’s future as a pow- erhouse in the global economy. Now the Prime Minister has the op- portunity to show he is serious about delivering Britain’s long-term eco- nomic plan by listening to businesses from across the UK and backing Heathrow expansion. This debate has never been about a runway – it is about the future of our country. Let’s get on with it.’ The new runway has had opposition from various environmental groups such as Plane Stupid, who occupied the runway to protest against the run- way, citing the environmental impact that increased air traffic would have. Ella Gilbert, an activist from Plane Stupid who was on the runway as part of the protest, stated: ‘Building more runways goes against everything we’re being told by scien- tists and experts on climate change. This would massively increase carbon emissions exactly when we need to massively reduce them, that’s why we’re here. We want to say sorry to anyone whose day we’ve ruined, and we’re not saying that everybody who wants to fly is a bad person. It’s those who fly frequently and unnecessarily who are driving the need for expan- sion, and we cannot keep ignoring the terrifying consequences of flying like there’s no tomorrow. No ifs, no buts, no third runway. And we mean it.’ However whilst the environmen- tal impact would be large, the proposed airport expansion could have a positive effect on the UK construction industry. An expansion of Heathrow would offer lucrative contracts for the firms in- volved, as well as providing businesses in the industry with greater distribu- tion channels. In addition to this the new expansion could offer the chance for the UK construction industry to gain some publicity, with the potential expansion set to have global attention if it goes ahead. Inside the Industry