People at yesterday’s airport project open planning meeting at Beau Sejour were not allowed to speak. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 1189468)

CAMPAIGNERS and neighbours who urged Environment to put the brakes on the runway project saw their pleas fall on deaf ears as its board gave the work the green light.

Planners’ arguments for approving the £80.4m. work met with tuts and headshakes from those gathered at yesterday’s open planning meeting, but protocol dictated that none could speak from the floor.

A petition urging the department to reconsider elements of the project was accepted, despite being received just days before, as it reflected the concerns of nearly 50 representations made to officers.

But in the end board members backed the application by a strong majority, concluding that the resurfacing of the runway was essential to the island and enough research had gone into mitigating any construction and transport problems.

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