Airport Is Good For Your Health

2008-06-11

Living near an airport could be good for you.

That’s the surprise result of a survey undertaken on behalf of Birmingham Airport.

The survey looked at implications of a planned new £120 million runway extension.

It claims that 20,000 new jobs would be created across the West Midlands as a result of the development with “subsequent benefits to health”.

But critics say the airport is trying to put a gloss on negative results of a previous survey.

A £50,000 study by experts at Liverpool University had warned of health implications for children at 31 local schools, elderly people and anyone with circulatory or respiratory conditions.

But because the university wouldn’t produce an easy-to-read summary of its complicated 171 page findings the airport decided to commission its own new probe.

Airport acting managing director Joe Kelly said he wanted a “second opinion” to make sure the university analysis was properly understood.

He said: “We believe it has helped our understanding and we will use both reports to produce a health management plan.

“The key message is that both reports conclude the runway extension offers a net benefit in terms of health impact.”