Oakervee to brief Assembly on whether Mayor's Thames estuary airport could take off

Renowned civil engineer Douglas E Oakervee^[1] will next month appear before the London Assembly Environment Committee to brief Members about the Mayor’s controversial idea of a new airport in the Thames estuary.

Mr Oakervee, who has experience in constructing airports on artificial islands, was asked by London Mayor Boris Johnson to conduct an initial feasibility study of the proposal on a pro bono basis. 

The Mayor’s idea has attracted substantial opposition: Medway Council and Kent County Council, as well as some wildlife groups, have raised objections and numerous politicians have spoken out against the proposal.

Committee Members agreed today that at their meeting with Mr Oakervee on 11 March they would discuss the potential environmental impacts of the proposal. 

Chair of the Environment Committee, Murad Qureshi AM, said: “The idea of a new airport in the Thames estuary has been floating around for quite some time, and has generally been dismissed as something that is never realistically going to happen.

“But with the Mayor promoting the idea again, including commissioning a feasibility study and setting up a steering group, we feel it is our duty to look into the issue on behalf of Londoners because if it were to go ahead there could be major environmental implications. We hope Mr Oakervee will be able to shed some light on the feasibility and potential impacts of the proposal at our meeting next month.”

Mr Oakervee’s report for the Mayor proposed constructing one or more artificial islands, possibly off Whitstable on the Kent coast.  This would be connected to the mainland by structures that could serve as roads, railways, flood barriers or tidal power generators.  The mainland connections would go to both the Kent and Essex coasts, making the structure function as a bridge or barrier across the whole estuary.
The feasibility study found the integration of the infrastructure could offer savings and that it was possible to construct such an airport in the Thames estuary, but recommended further major work on the technical environmental and economic benefits of the airport.

Notes to Editors

1. OBE FREng
2. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

Murad Qureshi AM is available for interviews. For more details, please contact Lisa Moore or Julie Wheldon in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4228/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries please call 0207 983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.