Representation by Clive Houghton
- Date submitted
- 11 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Clive Houghton
Objection to RiverOak Strategic Partners DCO application 10 September 2018 Manston DCO Introduction I have lived in Thanet for over 40 years. I object to RSP DCO application because of the catastrophic effect it will have on the area. I don’t believe that it will bring any National benefit. My objections are that: There will be no national advantage. There will be a MASSIVE negative local impact RSP is not an aviation company and has no experience in air freight operations. The Azimuth report is stuffed with extrapolations, mis -quotes and obfuscations. It is an egregious report being presented as objective and independent when it is not. National advantage The Azimuth report on which the application is based is neither objective nor independent. [Redacted] is a long time associate of [Redacted]. She uses selective sections of quotes, extrapolates facts, presents assertions as facts and generally tries to overwhelm the reader with a plethora of information much of which is not relevant. Her assertion that there is a “need” for a new UK freight hub is not supported. Only RSP is asking for it. There is spare capacity at existing air freight facilities, LHR has a road traffic congestion issue caused by airfreight carried in passenger aircraft but this is being addressed. There is a need for more passenger capacity but this application does not attempt to solve that. [Redacted] tries to confuse lack of ground infrastructure and shortage of passenger capacity with the need for a new airfreight hub. Most airfreight in Europe moves by truck at some point. This application will not remove a single truck from our roads but will add to local traffic congestion on the A299, A 256, M2 A249 & M20. The area is NOT well provided with transport links being served by A roads and 2 lane motorways. Any jobs created by the DCO will almost certainly be outweighed by losses in tourism and leisure which are developing well. Local Impact I have mentioned traffic congestion already. My other issues with this application centre around noise and its effects. The local impact is potentially catastrophic. Sleeping with open windows will be impossible. I know this from being woken in Broadstairs by the occasional night flight in the past. Ramsgate will be many times worse. Some noise mitigation is offered by RSP but it seems miserly and is based on an estimated noise footprint that does not equate with actual readings taken when the airport was operating. No-one seriously disputes that Airfreight moves at night, RSP try to say otherwise but cannot produce evidence that stands analysis. I believe that they will offer older and noisier aircraft the opportunity to operate at night. There are 3 schools close to the flight path, one is a listed building and cannot be acoustically insulated, rendering it useless if traffic projections are achieved and unpleasant otherwise. Pupils will also suffer sleep deprivation. River Oak strategic partners This is an off the shelf company seemingly set up to grab the land from the existing owners. It has no history and no transparency. Its’ MD, [Redacted], is a [Redacted] with a poor record of company failure. No investors are listed. Azimuth report This is not a serious peer reviewed report. Many “facts” are dubious at best it is (deliberately ?) packed with data to confuse the reader. Passenger capacity is conflated with freight capacity, passenger aircraft belly hold freight which is the majority of airfreight and can only arrive at passenger airports, is glossed over. Conclusion If this DCO is approved the Government will have potentially enriched [Redacted] et al. by blighting the lives of thousands of local residents, all for no National advantage. What happens if the venture fails?