Representation by Russell Francis White
- Date submitted
- 3 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Application by Riveroak Strategic Partners for an Order Granting Development Consent for the Manston Airport.
I am totally opposed against the RSP proposal for a freight hub at Manston.
Very comprehensive surveys and reports over recent years consistently show that both past and future commercial flight operations have been and will be totally unsustainable. The Riveroak Strategic Partners application, resulting in this Planning Inspectorate procedure, is in the main inaccurate and incorrect. I have seen and lived through the demise of three private developers of Manston and their attempts to create a profitable and successful hub. The studies referred to previously have shown that a viable and commercial operation cannot be substantiated.
The location of Manston with a flight path directly over the town of Ramsgate and the surrounding villages will produce significant noise day and night, significant risk to health day and night, significant harm to our childrens' education, significant pollution and environmental damage, and significant loss of valuable growing tourism jobs and income. The foregoing resulting in a huge drop in the quality of our life.
There are over 400 Listed sites and buildings and four Conservation Areas (Pegwell (SSSI), Montefiore, Royal Esplanade and Central Harbour). Ramsgate has the only Royal Harbour in England. In 2017 Ramsgate became one of Historic England's first Heritage Action Zones. There are now 18 HAZ's but Ramsgate is still the only HAZ in the south-east region.
Thanet has suffered years of deprivation and is now beginning to be an area where families want to come to and enjoy a wonderful coastline with good facilities. Similarly the picturesque villages enjoy the peace of the countryside. Sandwich Bay has bird sanctuaries and SSSI's.
Continuous flights day and night will cause serious vibration problems to buildings and will have a long term effect on the quality of wild life, ie sea birds, waders etc.
An 18 bay freight hub will be disastrous.
Russell White