Representation by Mr Shaun Morris
- Date submitted
- 7 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have lived in the area for fifty five years and operate a business locally employing seventeen people. I have numerous concerns regarding the airport proposal by RSP, too many to go into in any depth at this stage, but the proposal seem to be based upon conjecture and wishful thinking by over seas investors and their spokes people and requiring the land in question to be 'taken ' from its legal owners. I would like the Planning Inspectors to consider the following points all of which, no doubt will be presented to you in detailed format by the protagonists in this drama. The site is geographically in the wrong place for a commercial airport and has collapsed on previous occasions. The consultations undertaken with aviation companies /experts by interested parities have all (except for that used by RSP which appears to be a mis-representation of one of the others) stated that it would not be viable. All freight coming to or going from the airport would have to be transported long distances by heavy goods vehicles as would aviation fuel going to the airport. The local road system is already at capacity with serious accidents occurring on a regular basis and the extra H.G.V traffic generated would need huge investment in the road system at tax payers expense and will cause not inconsiderable environmental damage. There is no proven need for a freight airport-other established airports, Heathrow, Gatwick, East Midlands, etc all having spare capacity . It is likely therefore that RSP will try to obtain its 'share' of the market by utilising night flights as in their proposals. The noise and air pollution caused by such an airport and its servicing (lorries etc)will be detrimental to the health and well-being of the local population with several schools immediately affected and no resources in place to deal with the inevitable rise of asthma and social effects which will affect the young and elderly in particular. Public consultation has been scant to say the least and many of the people who will be affected by noise and air pollution seem blissfully unaware of the consequences of the airport. The promised benefits of the airport (employment) seem now to be greatly exaggerated as far as local people are concerned and several hundred jobs seem more likely rather than those promised, and those jobs would probably mean the equivalent loss at existing airports. We are told repeatedly by political parties of all persuasions that we must have thousands more houses and the shortage is acute in East Kent. The existing owners want to proved some of those houses on Manston (which is the only large brown field site in the area,) together with sports facilities, school, swimming pool, medical facilities and open spaces none of which will come if those houses are constructed on the few remaining fields in Thanet or squeezed between other buildings,(green field sites adjacent to towns and villages are being consumed at an alarming rate). Since the airport collapsed (again) last time there has been significant improvement to the towns of Thanet, Ramsgate in particular, and to nearby affected towns and they seem to be enjoying a resurgence of visitors and investment. That would be lost if the airport proceeds. In short there is no economic case for a freight airport, there is however a need for housing which is being offered by the owners of the site and to include much needed amenities all of which has been delayed for far to long by clandestine investors and supporters.
Thank you for your considerations.