Protesters pledge to battle airport extension

Families set to lose their homes to make way for an extension to the runway at City of Derry Airport today pledged to fight until the bulldozers made them homeless.

Derry City Council last night voted to extend the runway at the airport outside the city following a recommendation from a sub committee.

Councillors said they had no alternative but to give the green light for the work which could cost up to £30m (€43.17m) - Ryanair had threatened to pull out unless it had a longer runway for new aircraft it is to introduce.

The extra 400 metres of runway at the council owned airport means 17 family homes at Donnybrewer Road in Eglington will have to go to make way for the extension.

The residents staged a protest outside the Guildhall council meeting saying they did not believe the council had fully considered all the alternatives and are to challenge the decision.

They said up to 60 people could be forced out of their homes and see their way of life ruined.

Threatening to fight through the courts to save their homes, residents’ spokesman Kieran O’Brien said: “We are gutted, this is very emotional, we are just ordinary working men but we will take it as far as we can.

“No doubt this will run and run, but we will try and take it all the way we can – should it take everything we have.”

He claimed that throughout the decision-making process they had been kept in the dark by the council and said there were alternatives to demolishing their homes – such as extending the runway at the other end

But he said: “Their minds were made up months ago. They’re not listening to any arguments.

“They’ve put forward proposals to suit themselves and our views haven’t been taken on board.”

One resident said: “They are taking part of my farm – it’s going to leave my farm unviable.”

Another said: “They don’t care about the country people“.