Representation by Anthony Best
- Date submitted
- 7 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am a resident of Ramsgate who strongly objects to the plans to introduce a busy cargo airport, which will ultimately destroy the town by it’s invasive low flying dirty, noisy and smelly aeroplane traffic. In the last decade the people of Ramsgate have made great strides in regeneratingt the town by developing a growing tourist destination and creating a desirable place where increasing numbers of people have chosen to relocate to, invest in and visit. Ramsgate is one of the best examples of a regency seaside town in England, with over 440 listed buildings concentrated over a relatively small area. Historic England state that Ramsgate enjoys an extraordinary inheritance of historic buildings. Over recent years many of these buildings have been purchased by local residents with the intention to regenerate the town and it’s buildings. All this work and money spent will be reversed by a commercial /cargo airport, which will see Ramsgate’s peace and tranquillity destroyed, and it losing any attraction as a place to live, visit and/or invest in. As a result more jobs will be lost by the decline of the tourist trade and nock- on effect of local home and business owners leaving the town, than would be the hypothetical jobs created by the reopening the airport by RSP.
Additionally, RSP have failed to be transparent about their funding and on going financial stability and/ or financial history. What we do know is their business is registered in Belize which is a tax haven. Not to metion their experience and /or ability to run a bsuy cargo airport.
Furthermore, environmental studies state that Ramsgate is simply too close to the runway to allow a commercial airport to operate. Being directly under the take off and landing flight paths of large cargo planes and night flights, and closer than ever permitted by any airport ever in the UK, would make living, and sleeping in Ramsgate intolerable, due to the noise and air pollution and vibration of our houses from large noisy planes flying over so low. A report by the Department of Trade and Industry examined runway capacity in South East England and found Manston unsuitable for development as a major airport because of it's close proximity to the town.
The RSP proposal itself acknowledges that local residents will suffer significant adverse effects...
A commercial, and particularly a cargo airport, would cause a significant drop in value of our homes, many of which are listed and have had significant time and money invested by their owners for ongoing restoration and maintenance.
Questions/ concerns: • Will there be compensation for the related loss of value to our properties. If so what will that compensation be? • What compensation will be provided to home and business owner for sound proofing and protection against pollution i.e air conditioning.. • Will there be compensation for damage caused from jet streams and vibrational impact from the heavy cargo planes on our houses, such as the displacement of roof tiles, cracks to plaster work and chimneys etc..?