Opening Statement by Mr. Geoff Harris on behalf of

Kirby Hill RAMS - Kirby Hill Residents Against Motoway Services

Kirby Hill RAMS was set up following a public meeting of local residents in July 2002.

With over 600 local residents who have given us signed authorisation to express their views and support our cause, we represent the vast majority of the local community of Kirby Hill and the surrounding district.

Kirby Hill RAMS also has the support from several other parties including the historic Newby Hall Estate, the Grade 1 listed 1100 year old Kirby Hill Church, the Grade 2 listed Skelton Windmill and RAF Dishforth.

Kirby Hill RAMS also has the full support of Kirby Hill and District Parish Council, Langthorpe Parish Council, Marton-le-Moor Parish Council, Skelton Parish Council and Boroughbridge Town Council.

We strongly object to the proposal to build a Motorway Services at Kirby Hill.

The detail of these objections have been documented in our Statement of Case and include many of the points raised individually in writing by the bodies that support us.

We will be supplying a further Proof of Evidence document by the due date and we request the right to express these in detail and cross examine other interested parties at relevant parts of this Inquiry - particularly during Session 6 relating to Kirby Hill.

We have also submitted a written document Position Statement on Need for

consideration during Session 1.

In summary the reasons for our objections are: .

The proposed MSA at Kirby Hill

· does not fit national spacing policy,

· has no advantage in timing,

· has a very large loss of Grade 2 agricultural land well in excess of the competing sites,

· has unacceptable landscape considerations and adversely effects the residential amenity of hundreds of people

· has questionable road safety issues

· has aviation safety and security concerns.

The proposals are opposed by an overwhelming majority of local people who believe that an MSA at Kirby Hill will irrevocably damage the area and destroy the identity of the village of Kirby Hill.

Kirby Hill is a completely inappropriate site for any MSA. The previous granting of planning permission at Kirby Hill was to say the least controversial, in that it went against the general tenor of the Inspectors conclusions. Permission was granted only due to adverse timing grounds at Kirk Deighton, the planning permission being overturned when these grounds were subsequently determined not to be valid.

On behalf of its community, Kirby Hill RAMS objects most strongly to this application and will

vigorously question and oppose it. Kirby Hill RAMS will demonstrate through its evidence to

the Inquiry during Session 6 that there should be no motorway services at Kirby Hill.

Geoff Harris

8 October 2002