Representation by Alex Alexandrou
- Date submitted
- 19 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I moved to the village of Cliffsend, (Very close to Manston Airport), in April 2004. The close proximity of the airport’s activity wasn’t a concern at the time. We didn’t mind the occasional single or twin propeller driven small aircraft that took off or landed. Their flight schedules were reasonable, (During the day). On some weekends in summer, a replica single engine Bi Plane would use the Airport. Until the airport closed.
The airport was used for a few National scheduled and mostly International scheduled passenger flights. I believe these were between the hours, 06:30hrs and 23:00hr. There Were No Night Flights. If there were any cargo flights, they would have been between the above mentioned hours and infrequently. This activity was acceptable.
In 16 years that I have lived in Cliffsend, It became clear, that despite the above activity, at least three different carriers have been unable to make a profit.
The concept of turning Manston Airport into a 24/7 Hub airport for cargo would be Socially, Ecologically and Environmentally unacceptable.
It would have an enormous impact on people of all ages, school Children, Shift workers, the elderly and the infirm. Their sleep patterns and general health will be affected.
Upward of Twelve Thousand Cargo Flights per annum have been proposed. The pollution, the noise level and frequency of flights will have, in the long run, a detrimental effect on the people under and in close proximity to the flight path. The school children’s concentration may suffer due to disturbed sleep.
The bird life that migrate annually to Pegwell Bay Country Park and have been doing so for decades from all over the world will be drastically affected.
The Isle of Thanet is surrounded by sea and is on the extreme South East coast of England. The convoy of lorries will add to the already congested roads, (A299), Motorway (M2 and A2). They would be travelling 50 miles or so just to get to the M25 before they continue to their final destination, South West, West or North of England with their load thus creating more pollution and congestion on the Thanet Way, before they even reach the M25.
I was visiting a friend who lived in a bungalow on the Nethercourt Estate. It had full triple glazing. We were having a conversation sitting in his conservatory in summer of 2015. He raised his arm and bid me cease talking in mid sentence, he pointed to the sky above his conservatory, I looked up and saw a large passenger jet aircraft approaching at 500 feet above. I just managed to hear him say with a raised voice, “we’ll continue the conversation after it’s passed over”. The closer it got the louder it became, so loud I couldn’t hear myself breathing. He told me that this is a regular occurrence and said it happens, “every time a plane flies over”. At this point I was very grateful not be living directly under the flight path, as many other families were.