Representation by Katie Cox
- Date submitted
- 13 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I first came to live in Ramsgate over fifty years ago as a child and have lived here on and off since then. I would like to object to the proposed development of a cargo hub at Manston on three counts: firstly job losses, secondly damage to the environment and thirdly the sever detriment to quality of life for the 40,000 plus people who live here. Firstly, I have read the proposal and the main argument for putting a cargo hub here is that it will provide jobs in an area of economic deprivation. While I recognise that Ramsgate does have problems of unemployment in recent years a lot of new jobs have been created around the tourist industry. There is significant evidence that Ramsgate is regenerating as a tourist destination for people from both the UK and abroad and according to an article in the Isle of Thanet news online over 7000 people are employed in tourism in Thanet and it is the fastest growing tourist trade in the UK. ([Redacted]). Many people have moved into the area from London and started businesses in Thanet in the last five to ten years and there are great hopes for the regeneration of the town. All this will be jeopardised if Thanet and particularly Ramsgate is subjected to 50 flights a day flying overhead. Secondly, Pegwell bay nature reserve which is next to Ramsgate and directly under the proposed flight path is one of, if not the only area of natural salt marsh in the country. It is the habitat of many rare wading birds as well as other rare flora and fauna. I would like to request that an environmental impact study be conducted on this part of the land particularly as I will be amazed if the flight path does not seriously jeopardise this ecosystem. Finally, I live directly under the flight path and I can personally verify that when we had an airport before the airplanes flew so low over my house that it felt as if they were going to take the roof off. The noise was unbearable and we would have to cover our ears if we were in the garden. At this time there were an estimated 500 planes a year and it had an impact on our quality of life. The new proposal is for an estimated 17000 flights a year some of which will be noisier that those allowed at London airports. This will have a terribly adverse effect on the quality of life of men, woman and more importantly children living in Ramsgate. People who can afford it will leave taking any economic regeneration with them and those who cannot afford it will be left in the shell of a once beautiful seaside town, wrecked by a misguided attempt to make money that will probably fail, as all previous manifestations of the airport have. I beseech you not to allow this plan to go ahead.