Accusations fly at BBAs intrusion on Royal Highland showground |
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Tue, 24 May 2005 08:15
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New allegations seem to have landed on to BAA, the airport operator, by the Royal Highland Show owner regarding the expansion of the Edinburgh airport. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), which organises the Royal Highland show, has accused the BAA of expanding its Edinburgh airport so much so that it is allegedly intruding into the site of the Royal Highland Show.
Chief executive of RHASS, Ray Jones, blamed the BAA blatantly, saying that it was simply being “greedy” and was acting like a “property company” rather than an airport operator. BAA had presented the sketch of the Edinburgh airport’s expansion plan last week according to which the airport operator was seizing more land than was necessary.
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Jones accused BAA saying, “BAA’s becoming a big property company rather than a company that runs airports. We’re making a stand. We have a concern that BAA is very good at getting their hands on vast acres of ground and then hiving it off into other property companies. That’s what BAA do, isn’t it? Look at Heathrow, look at Stansted — the same thing’s going to happen here.”
Calling BAA’s moves as a ‘land grab’, Jones added that proper assessment of BAA’s accounts would reveal the true intentions of the operator.
Meanwhile, BAA clearly dismissed all charges against it and claimed that its master plan candidly revealed that the land of the RHASS was being solicited for the airport’s “operational” needs, like “aircraft stands and terminal development”. BAA stated, “That is exactly what we will use it for and therefore this allegation is completely without foundation.”
Jones notified that the society had explored other sites as well, but had to zero in on the Ingliston showground since no other site had Ingliston’s excellent transport infrastructure and the great variety of hotels.
He informed that a meeting between the RHASS and BAA would be convened soon in the coming weeks. Confirming that the society would not move from Ingliston, Jones said, “If we have to move, we have to move, but we won’t move unless we can find a site equal to or better than Ingliston. But BAA will have to pay total relocation costs.”
Relocation costs are expected to amount to something between £200m and £400m.
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