Moving into a new flat is an exciting milestone – but imagine receiving a letter just two months later that reads: “We have identified that your land… might be affected by future works.”
That’s exactly what happened to a Rickmansworth resident, who returned from holiday on Wednesday, September 3, to find a letter about the Expanding Heathrow project.
The letter followed Heathrow Airport’s submission of an updated environmental impact assessment for its expansion plans to the Planning Inspectorate. This revised the boundary of land over which it may seek statutory powers to deliver the project.
Heathrow’s letter states: “At this stage, the inclusion of your land within the draft order limits is indicative, meaning it is subject to change and is not confirmed for the purposes of our proposals.”
In response to the letter, the resident said: “One of my biggest concerns is that they are going to knock the block of flats down that I live in.
“The letter has really upset me, not knowing what is going to happen as I love my flat. It has taken me a lot of hard work to be able to move there.”
Despite contacting Heathrow multiple times, they have allegedly received no response.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “While we await feedback from the government on our proposals, we are continuing with the pre-application phase of our Development Consent Order to maintain the government’s timeline. As with any large project, some land beyond the airport campus is also included in the draft order limits boundary.
“This reflects routine requirements for a range of needs, including transport related infrastructure, utilities, environmental mitigation, reprovision of open spaces and displaced community facilities.
“We have made a few changes to the draft order limits boundary since consulting in 2019, and any newly affected landowners have been notified. No new residential properties will be acquired. No work will take place without further engagement.”
Photo credit: Heathrow Expansion Facebook
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