Representation by Mrs Jill Hallett Blake
- Date submitted
- 5 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am a resident of Plains of Waterloo, a street directly under the flight path to Manston Airport.
Plains of Waterloo is a road of Georgian houses of architectural merit, it bisects Wellington Crescent - an important historic Georgian crescent comparable in architectural importance to the Royal Crescent in Bath. It is my belief that the high volume of flights proposed for the re-opening of Manston airport will have a deleterious effect upon the structures in this area. When the airport was functioning in previous years my house trembled as aircraft flew over at very low altitude, on two occasions panes of window glass were broken by the reverberations.
Ramsgate is a beautiful town with many historic buildings, the seafront and adjoining streets, which lie under the flight path are of high density occupation. The town has suffered decline in recent decades and is now striving to establish itself, with considerable success, as a destination for tourists who enjoy its architectural charm and beautiful sandy beach. The flight path to Manston Airport is directly over these important assets of the town. The re-opening of Manston as an airport will have a deleterious effect upon the tourist trade and thus the economy of the town.
The burgeoning tourist trade is creating jobs in the Ramsgate; Manston - if it re-opened and despite spurious claims - would not create a significant number of employment opportunities.
Manston failed for many years, under successive owners, as an airport - both as a freight hub and for passenger flights. The road structure for freight and passengers is not favourable for easy connections. The UK air freight market is diminishing and I do not believe that the proposals to re-open the airfield as a cargo hub are financially viable. There is spare capacity at other freight airports in more central and more easily accessible airports in the UK indicating that Manston would not be a favoured destination for air cargo transportation.
Night flights from distant locations will be required if Manston is to function as a cargo hub. The quality of life of local residents will be negatively impacted both physically and emotionally. It will not be possible to double glaze the many listed buildings under the flight path due to Conservation requirements. Day time flights are extraordinarily loud and disturbing to residents as the close proximity of the airport to the town centre requires aircraft to approach the runway at very low altitude. The impact upon the health of residents is a serious issue for consideration. In former years kerosene was dropped regularly from planes making their approach to the airport, the smell was clearly identifiable across the town. As I write Thanet has the highest amount of pollution related deaths in Kent and the re-opening of Manston will exacerbate this situation.
Additionally, Manston lies close to several nationally designated Conservation sites - the effect of air traffic upon these will be damaging.
Contrary to some claims, the Manston site cannot be easily re-opened. It has been closed for several years and considerable investment is required to re-establish the necessary facilities required for it to function as an airport.
Alternative plans for the site include a mixed development creating new houses, green spaces and employment opportunities for the residents of the area. These plans are more beneficial to the economy of the town and the well-being of its residents.
I do not believe that the proposal to re-open Manston Airport is financially viable, practically viable or of benefit to the residents of the area and I therefore object its re-opening.
Jill Hallett Blake