Representation by Barry Thomas
- Date submitted
- 5 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Dear Sirs,
Objection to the re-opening of Manston airport to support a cargo hub on environmental reasons and financial viability.
Viabilty: Council money spent on three previous occasions failed with the loss of the investments. To make this airport viable at least nine cargo hubs would be needed. This will take time and during the time needed to build up the air traffic financial support would be needed. If this investment was not forthcoming the project will fail to the detriment of Thanet and East Kent in general who will be denied immediate revenue from sale of the site.
For cargo distribution, Manston airfield is not ideally located. Cargo is increasingly being carried by airlines using London’s airports and other strategically placed regional airports all of which have quick links to other parts of the UK. Cargo facilities already exist at East Midlands airport; where distribution facilities are in use or being built
Jobs: at a public hearing RSP acknowledged that only some 2000 would be generated at Manston; essentially those in the aero-engineering. These skills are most likely to be “imported” to the area either permanently or on a daily commuter basis adding to already existing traffic congestion
Environmental: Jet fuel air pollution from aircraft movements on the airfield over Manston village and Ramsgate and on approach routes. Air pollution from jet and HGV engines (NO2 PM10 and PM2.5) is known to be damaging to health through lung damage particularly to children and a number of schools are in close proximity to the airfield. . Helicopter connections would add greatly to the noise pollution at Ramsgate and over towns such as Herne Bay and Whitstable; seaside economies are in part dependent on the peace and tranquillity of this part of East Kent. Noise: to avoid flying over Ramsgate with its old housing stock and historic buildings flights will often approach the airfield using a corridor from Whitstable over Herne Bay from the West, or across e.g. Pegwell Bay with its considerable bird population (bird strike hazards) and other nature preservation sites.
Night flights: RSP says it needs these to make the scheme viable and a night noise budget in excess of 6000 QC points; possibly in the region of twenty to forty movements each night seven days a week. Herne Bay is a small town struggling to establish itself as a tourist and holiday centre. Ramsgate already exists as a holiday centre and these night flights would have a detrimental effect for all the towns in the area and/or flight path, and have long reaching economic effects on already deprived areas; Ramsgate in particular features high up on social deprivation scores.
Transport links: RSP plans to improve roads essentially within the airfield or very close by but not to transport links to/from the airfield and to the rest of the UK (initially 100 HGV journeys each way are probable). Additionally, there will be hazardous daily road transportation of jet fuel.