Gatwick Airport – Crawley News

Labour Leader ‘Open’ to Gatwick Second Runway
Jeremy Corbyn questioned during his first official visit to Crawley
18th November 2015 – Crawley News


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By Rachel Barr
email rachel.barr@crawleynews.co.uk

LABOUR Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is “open” to the idea of a second runway at Gatwick and wants Crawley to be able to build outside its boundaries.

The MP for Islington North shared his thoughts on Gatwick expansion and how he would solve the town’s housing crisis during a visit to Crawley last Wednesday.

It was his first official foray into Crawley since becoming leader of the opposition.

Speaking about Gatwick, he said: “Runway capacity needs to be looked at across the whole of the south east including airports such as Stansted, Luton and even Southampton.

Expansion

“I’m open to discussing expansion at Gatwick although I’m certainly against a third runway at Heathrow.”

Mr Corbyn added that he is a regular user of the airport. He said: “I like Gatwick. I use it a lot as getting a train from my home in north London isn’t very difficult.

“It has improved a lot over the years and still has runway space available.”

On the subject of housing he called for towns like Crawley to be able to build outside their boundaries without asking permission from neighbouring authorities.

Mr Corbyn also wants councils to be given back control over the conversion of offices into homes, to prevent places like Manor Royal from being turned into housing estates.

“I want towns to be able to build outside of their borders,” he said. “All the powers with permitted development are with the developers. I don’t want that. I want them handed back to the local authorities “I would like them to have the power to say if they want it [a new development]. I certainly don’t want there to be dead high streets because empty units have been turned into homes.”

It was announced earlier this year that relaxed planning rules, known as permitted development rights or prior approval, will become permanent from next May Crawley Borough Council applied to make Manor Royal and Gatwick Airport exempt when prior approval was introduced in 2013, but the move was rejected by the Government.

Labour sees Crawley as an important seat to win back from the Conservatives at the next General Election which is why Mr Corbyn chose to visit, even though that is a long way off.

He spent the morning at Caterpillars Pre-School at Southgate West Community Centre on Ditchling Hill.

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Here he spoke to parents about tax credits which are given to low-income families, and how cuts to the benefit would affect them.

After speaking to parents he joined in with nursery rhyme time, singing Incy Wincy Spider with the children before taking part in a two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day The Southgate-based nursery was the same place that former Labour leader Ed Miliband visited back in December 2013.

After that Mr Corbyn went on to the Charis Centre in West Green where he answered questions from residents about everything from education to housing.

I What do you think of Corbyn’s comments on Gatwick and housing?

Email your views to email editor@crawleynews.co.uk

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