A Small Island.  I’m currently reading one of Bill Bryson’s funny books and he beautifully describes a little-known area near Heathrow airport which has somehow escaped development. The Staines Moor pocket of land has been untouched for over a thousand years and is the only green space for miles that Staines residents can enjoy. Heathrow has two runways and plans for a third are afoot. It’s already a most polluting airport, second only to Dubai in the world. I mention this because consultations are now well underway for Gatwick to become the same size.  It’s privately owned by Black Rock and Vinci, who also own airports in France and Portugal.  Their desire is to match Heathrow’s income by creating a new runway in place of its existing emergency one. Read more