Representation by Jill Sterry
- Date submitted
- 9 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
My mother, who is 90 next year, and I moved to Herne Bay five years ago. We wanted a quiet life after living all our lives in busy London. We knew that there would be the occasional noisy flight over our bungalow, to or from Manston, but are horrified at the proposals for a 24/7 huge, cargo hub airport opening. My mum has been housebound for three years due to poor health. Her only pleasure and source of fresh air is our garden. If the airport reopens, she will no longer be able to access this as we will be directly under the flight path. Neighbours, who have experienced loud flights in the past, have said that they have shaken their properties and rattled the window frames. We would never again be able to open our windows or hold a conversation in the garden. As I am a full-time carer, getting up at least four times a night, I need my few hours of sleep. I will not even get this with night time flights. I know RSP say there will be no need for any, but their documents prove this is not true and it seems much cargo is now flown during the night hours. Aside from anxieties about our health and air pollution, the plans seem deeply flawed. I have read that RSP do not have sufficient funds to get the airport started, the roads cannot cope with that much extra traffic, there is no direct fuel line or motorway links, the local tourist economy (that is thriving) would disintegrate and the thousands of local jobs promised would not be created. I have read that that the market for cargo freight is actually shrinking and there is space at other airports already. Manston, an airfield and not an airport, is simply in the wrong place. The airport is not viable, having failed four times before, losing millions of pounds. No one wants extra houses in the area, but they are much needed. The Stonehill plan seem to cover housing and much more, like a small aviation space, park leisure facilities and work places. This will provide jobs and a community. I believe this will be much more beneficial to Thanet than an airport. An airport that will probably again eventually fail, having caused ordinary people like us worry and stress. If this dreadful, noisy, polluting airport becomes operational, I would love to say that I would move. Unfortunately, our property value would have decreased substantially and we would be stuck in a blighted, industrial area with all the other elderly people around here, who retired thinking they would have a quiet country life. Because I do not have an internet connection, nor a computer; I have sent this via my brother in law’s email address and hope this is acceptable.