UTTLESFORD District Council has reaffirmed its "absolute opposition" to second runway proposals at Stansted after submitting a unanimous response to airport operator BAA.

Uttlesford councillors agreed to submit a five-page response - jointly with Essex and Hertfordshire county councils and East Herts District Council - highlighting major concerns with the consultation.

Detailed in the letter are concerns over the lack of evidence presented by BAA as to the effects a second runway would have on the environment, local communities and the road and rail infrastructure.

The letter, to BAA managing director Terry Morgan, stated: "The information is inadequate to enable proper consideration of the inevitable trade-offs between the different environmental impacts and the impacts of operational aspects of new runway development."

Uttlesford Council leader Mark Gayler described the expansion of the airport as the biggest "challenge" the council faces.

He added: "It's up to us to send a clear message to BAA and to the community to show our strong opposition to it. The options put forward by BAA are, in reality, no options at all. The document lacks any real detail."

Although the second runway proposals are supported by the government, as set out in the 2004 aviation White Paper, Independent group leader and Birchanger councillor Elizabeth Godwin, said the government and BAA were causing a "casual destruction" of the local community.

She added: "It's hard to believe this is a service consultation.

"There's no health or environment impact assessment, and no airport quality or infrastructure modelling. This is totally lost to our quality of life which, make no mistake, will diminish if this is ever entertained."