Representation by Mark Coulthwaite
- Date submitted
- 7 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wish to express my strong disagreement with the application by River Oak Strategic Partners to reopen Manston airport for mainly cargo flights because of the following:
• There will be significant increase in noise especially during the night that will affect the ability of local residents to obtain an uninterrupted night’s sleep. This will lead to a significant risk to the health of the local community and especially harm our children’s education. Cargo flights often employ older aircraft, converted from passenger aircraft at the end of their useful life, that are far noisier and more polluting than modern aircraft. The only way the airport will be viable as a cargo hub is by taking the night flights from other airports that have exceeded their quota. The airport has tried and failed to be viable as passenger airport several times over the past 10 years but does not have the catchment area to succeed. Other UK airports are not allowed to have night flights due to consideration for the local population, in fact the previous Section 106 Agreement with Manston Airport severely restricted night flights between 23:00 and 07:00, why would the residents of Thanet now be considered less worthy of protection from night time disturbance.
• There will be a significant increase to the number of HGVs using the approach roads to the airport causing an increase in congestion and pollution leading to significant environment damage to the local area. Although the A299 is a dual carriage way the approach to the airport is by local roads not designed to accommodate a large number of HGVs.
These factors will a have a huge detrimental effect on the quality of life for local residents as well as damaging the expanding local tourism industry, reducing job opportunities and income for the local area.