Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Join the plot!

Alistair McGowan, Airplot owner
TV impressionist Alistair McGowan has bought a piece of the Heathrow third runway site along with Emma Thompson, Zac Goldsmith and Greenpeace.

It started like most good ideas around here, with a conversation down at the pub. And there have been many times over the last few months when I wasn't sure we were going to pull it off, but we're now the proud owners of a small piece of land within the site of the proposed third runway at Heathrow.

We're expecting the government will announce that they're going ahead with expansion at Heathrow this week and we now need you to join us. Sign up now to get your own piece of the plot. It's not a financial thing, but you will be included as an owner on the legal deed of trust.

Join the plot!

Heathrow expansion isn't only an issue for those of us unfortunate enough to live on the flight path. If expansion goes ahead Heathrow will become the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the whole country. And the government's plans to expand airports across the UK will make it impossible for us to meet our commitment to reduce emissions and stop runaway climate change.

As legal owners of this plot we will take the opportunity to oppose airport expansion at every stage in the planning process. We're joined on the deeds by Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson, comedian Alistair McGowan and prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Zac Goldsmith. Along with Greenpeace UK, that's the maximum number of owners we can put on the deed, but you can sign up to add your name and stand beside us to resist all attempts of a compulsory purchase of the land.

You'll be joining beneficial owners who've already signed-up including local Labour MP John McDonnell, Tory frontbench spokeswoman Justine Greening, Lib Dem MP Susan Kramer, environmentalist George Monbiot and acclaimed climate scientist and Royal Society Research Fellow Dr Simon Lewis.

The runway is by no means inevitable. BAA now faces a long process to get its tarmac laid. So there will be many ways you can get involved in the years it will take to get the runway through the planning process, and we will need your creativity and energy to make sure the runway never gets built. In the coming months and years we will need the help of thousands of people like you to put pressure on your MP, write letters to your local media, join us at events, tell your own community, and much more.

We'll let you know more about that shortly, we only got the final papers for the land through the end of last week, so the first step is to sign up and let us know you want to be part of the plot over the coming years.

If all our attempts to stop the runway fail, we will stand with the people from the community whose homes will be demolished to build the third runway and block the bulldozers. There will be many ways you can support the blockade even if you don't fancy joining us on the plot.

We are not going to let this new runway be built to make sure we have a healthy climate and environment for all of us and future generations. Sign up today to join the plot. If we're serious about tackling climate change, we have to stop airport expansion.

Find out more about Airplot »
Invite your friends to join »
See where our plot is on the map »
Legal and beneficial owners »
The case against Heathrow expansion (pdf) »