The title ‘The Community Response’ sums up very aptly, if inadvertently, the place of the community as the Government sees it in the formulation of airport strategy. In other words, to respond rather than to participate; a sort of reluctant anchor that has to be dragged along in response to proposals made by others. Airports should be planned to serve the Community; that is their function. They do not exist merely to facilitate the landing and take-off of passengers and freight in a vacuum unrelated to the locality in which they are sited. People who use airports have an involvement with the community whether it be through business, tourist or domestic connections.

The GLC has consistently recognised the importance of London's airports, especially Heathrow, to the economic well being of London and the South East. With the abandonment of Maplin we have accepted that at least for the time being, the increased demand for airport capacity in the South East will have to be met by some expansion at existing airports, but we have a wider duty also to ensure that the social planning and environmental aspects linked with airport developments are taken into account.