Representation by Mrs Helen Smith
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wish to see Manston Airport reopened as set out in the Draft Order and the supporting application documents.
I fully support RSP's DCO application. Thanet is an area of extreme deprivation and shortage of jobs. To reinstate Manston as a freight hub is EXACTLY what our area of South East Kent needs.
I firmly believe that the Falcon and Avia reports, commissioned by TDC were at best, unsatisfactory, at worst, merely produced under strict boundaries placed upon the authors by TDC SMT and the then Leader of the Council, [Redacted]. These reports were also refuted by Inspector [Redacted] in his findings in the Stone Hill Park Planning Appeals in July 2017.
By comparison, the Azimuth report, authored by [Redacted], is the complete polar opposite. It is carefully referenced, reasoned and with transparent methodology and is a superb example of truly professional unbiased economic analysis. It deserves full credit.
I am aghast that the current Draft Local Plan for Thanet completely erases Manston Airport. The Manston Airport site has been scoped out by TDC SMT in what is widely believed to be their flawed attempt to justify this based on the aforementioned Avia report.
Past problems with the viability of Manston Airport are exactly that, past. There was never the investment required to ensure its viability. I believe that never before has Thanet had the prospect of a purely privately funded project of this magnitude that will result in so many direct, indirect, induced and catalytic jobs to the area, bringing improved salaries and social wellbeing, plus tax revenues from income and corporation taxes through all of the associated activities the airport would bring. Additionally, RSP will be working with education and training providers to ensure that courses will provide debt-free training and employment opportunities, thus ensuring transformative prospects and social as well as economic regeneration within our communities, the like of which Thanet has not benefited from since the US Air Force left Manston nearly 60 years ago.
Thanet is in crisis, crime is rising, unemployment is up, longevity is reducing, social cohesion is breaking down, health services are at break point both in the acute and community settings, primary healthcare is overstretched with unmanageable workloads for local GP’s, policing is dysfunctional and undermanned and all of this is directly related to unemployment and current socio-economic crisis and austerity measures, thus high levels of inward overseas investment, in Thanet, will not only affect us but neighbouring districts in our region and indeed nationally, particularly post-Brexit. In this instance, that inward investment neatly fits into the definition of an NSIP project, the first in relation to an airport, and it is clear that this DCO will surely become a template from which other airport DCO’s will be measured, scaled and formulated.
I reiterate that I support the RSP DCO project in the strongest terms and I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition and wish RSP every success. Bring back the planes and prosperity to Thanet and it’s surrounding areas, please!