Representation by Karen Berry
- Date submitted
- 6 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I feel that the airport was never given the opportunity to fully succeed as the owner’s intention was to sell it after a while for a much increased profit. With the rise of independent travel using low cost airlines and sites such as Air BnB and Trusted Housesitter I am sure that there will be a market for airlines to take advantage of. I’m about to book a flight from Southend rather than Gatwick as I am aware that the airport parking will be far more reasonable.
When there were passenger flights from Manston I used them twice and bought flights for family for Christmas etc.
I feel that the proposed housing will only bring more problems to an area that does not have many jobs, who’s roads are congested heavily at certain times of the day and who’s schools and medical facilities are struggling with the current population. I also feel that it would be a strain on our water supply.
On other MOD land and previous housing in Canterbury, a London Council has been moving it’s popolation down when they have been made homeless, be it because of eviction or the need to know down older housing. This has caused quite a few anti social problems in the area with groups of youths causing problems. There will always be rumours and misrepresentation but I have heard first hand from colleagues of incidents that were personally involved in. As a percentage of housing has to be social housing then I envisage that we may experience something similar. I don’t have confidence that that social housing will be used for the people on the long waiting list in Thanet.
The jobs that building the houses will bring will be short term ones for the building trade and these would be more likely to be offered by large companies and to trades outside the Thanet area. I work near to Shorncliffe Barracks where a large development is being built on previous MOD land. I see the vans arriving and the sign written ones rarely have the telephone number showing the local area code. I fear that this will be the same for the proposed development.
The runway at Manston is so long giving it the ability to take larger aircraft. When there used to be practice landings and take offs there, yes it could be irritating but everyone knows that a skill has to be mastered for safety’s sake and so it has to be accepted.