Last week, Boris Johnson, Conservative Mayor of London, published a feasibility study into building an airport in the Thames Estuary.  His report found that there were ‘no overwhelming constraints’ in building a 24-hour hub in the estuary, connected by high-speed rail across the Thames Gateway and beyond.  He has now established a steering group to push the proposals forward, and there are already claims of financial backing. 
The proposal for ‘Boris Island’, as the airport is known, was made by the Mayor himself, in an attempt to dump his London transport problems outside of the capital. 
There is no doubt that this would be an ecological disaster for the area.  The floating airport would endanger wildlife and our natural environment, and the construction would take years, with all the associated noise, pollution and disturbance.  The transport infrastructure needed to get passengers to the airport would cause as much damage as the airport itself. 
Labour Group members have placed on record their opposition to these plans.  The Thames Estuary should not be viewed as a dumping ground for the Conservative Mayor’s transport problems with the detrimental impact it will have on Medway.
Also of concern is that David Cameron has not ruled this out, and has accepted that Boris Johnson should have the right to pursue the plans.  When the Labour Group put a motion to Council to ask David Cameron to change this position and rule out these proposals, the local Conservatives watered it down.
However, it was also agreed at the same meeting that Medway’s local Tory Leadership should seek a meeting with the Mayor, to express local opposition to the plans.  So far we have heard nothing, and therefore, either the Mayor is ignoring Medway’s administration, or they have not carried out their promise to residents.
Labour Group members will always oppose this scheme, but the divisions between Conservatives at a local, regional and national level lead to a real fear that this plan could become a reality.