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New runway to raze Sipson village New runway to raze Sipson village
(30 minutes later)
A west London village is to be razed after the government approved controversial plans to allow a third runway to be built at Heathrow.A west London village is to be razed after the government approved controversial plans to allow a third runway to be built at Heathrow.
Sipson sits on land destined for the new runway and its homes and a school will effectively be wiped from the map. Sipson sits on land destined for the runway and its 700 homes and school will effectively be wiped from the map.
Villagers have spent much of the past year battling to save their community of 700 homes and businesses. The runway plans include a dual carriageway running through what is now the village's Cherry Lane cemetery.
The runway plans will include a dual carriageway running through what is now the village's Cherry Lane cemetery. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon told the Commons that air quality and noise reduction targets will be met.
Mr Hoon said the decision came with environmental conditions aimed at protecting the quality of life for remaining residents.
He said expansion was required if Britain was to remain competitive internationally.
Edna La Mothe, spokeswoman for Cherry Lane Against Development, said: "Today's decision comes as no surprise. This government has shown little regard for the living, so we didn't expect any consideration for our dead.Edna La Mothe, spokeswoman for Cherry Lane Against Development, said: "Today's decision comes as no surprise. This government has shown little regard for the living, so we didn't expect any consideration for our dead.
People like to be here, they have the social life here, they don't know what to do Amrit Bell, landlord of the Plough pub "As for us mourners, as if our distress was not great enough, we will now have to dodge vehicles when we visit the graves."People like to be here, they have the social life here, they don't know what to do Amrit Bell, landlord of the Plough pub "As for us mourners, as if our distress was not great enough, we will now have to dodge vehicles when we visit the graves."
People in Sipson said public discussion over the past year had been of little else, with public spaces covered in posters urging them to get involved with the campaign to halt the expansion plans. People in Sipson said discussion over the past year had been of little else, with public spaces covered in posters urging them to get involved in the campaign to halt the expansion plans.
Amrit Bell, landlord of the Plough pub, said villagers were angry.Amrit Bell, landlord of the Plough pub, said villagers were angry.
"The local people and their traditional English pub - people like to be here, they have the social life here, they don't know what to do," he said."The local people and their traditional English pub - people like to be here, they have the social life here, they don't know what to do," he said.
Linda McCutcheon moved to Sipson Road in the village 42 years ago when she married her husband, Terry.Linda McCutcheon moved to Sipson Road in the village 42 years ago when she married her husband, Terry.
The 63-year-old is chair of the Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents' Association, which has campaigned heavily against the expansion.The 63-year-old is chair of the Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents' Association, which has campaigned heavily against the expansion.
She said: "The area's changed a great deal ever since BAA made their plans known.She said: "The area's changed a great deal ever since BAA made their plans known.
"Before, people would put their property up for sale and it'd be snapped up by another family within a week. Now that just doesn't happen.""Before, people would put their property up for sale and it'd be snapped up by another family within a week. Now that just doesn't happen."
Lost school Debbie Power, landlady at the King William IV pub, expects to lose "everything" as a result of the development.
Kiren Vadher, a student from Sipson, said the campaign to save the village had galvanised local people. The 30-year-old said: "The third runway will mean both my house and this pub will go. It will mean totally starting again. I lose everything."
Miss Vadher, 26, said she was confident that even though BAA, the airport's owner, had been given the go-ahead from the government, mandatory purchase orders would not arrive in the short term.
"I'm still quite optimistic because if it does get the go-ahead, the development won't be built for a while yet," she said.
The government has maintained that, in principle, it was in favour of the scheme, subject to noise and air pollution limits, and undertakings about access and traffic congestion.The government has maintained that, in principle, it was in favour of the scheme, subject to noise and air pollution limits, and undertakings about access and traffic congestion.
But anti-expansion campaigners, including Sipson residents, complained the runway decision-making process has not adequately taken into account the impact on people living near Heathrow. Anti-expansion campaigners, including Sipson residents, complained the runway decision-making process has not adequately taken into account the impact on people living near Heathrow.
Alison Lee, head teacher at the century-old Heathrow Primary School, said losing a popular state school amounted to "a waste".
She said: "The children are aware of what is going on and we do have discussions about it but we try to keep as normal a life as possible for them."