Representation by Robbie Robson
- Date submitted
- 7 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
There seems to be a general expectation that everyone in the Thanet area wants this failed airport to reopen. This is far from the truth. Those of us without vested interests can see it for what it really is. It failed because it is in the wrong place. It failed because it served no useful purpose. Those who so verbosely champion its reopening have ignored the facts, and sold the more gullible a tissue of lies and false promises about noise, pollution congestion, and change, all of which will result in the destruction of what is essentially a rural area. Those shady foreign investors (not keen to be identified) who wish to pour their money into this project will want a good return on their investment. They have employed an impressive battery of "experts" all willing to testify in accordance with their paymaster's wishes, that any reopening will have a zero impact on the surrounding villages. They state that aircraft movements will be limited. At first, they will. That is, until they apply for permission for many more. Freight will, of course, need to be moved from the airport to where it ultimately needs to be. This will need thousands of HGV movements each year, resulting in surrounding roads to be overwhelmed. We who oppose this are underrepresented, those who support the reopening are shouting much louder than their true numbers justify. Having spoken to many of these people, I have come to the sad conclusion that the campaign of lies and distortion may win out. Faced with the full facts about what is ultimately the goal of those behind the reopening, most local people would oppose it strongly.