Representation by Hugh Cripps
- Date submitted
- 20 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
1.Airfreight movements within the UK are declining from 108000 in the year 2000 to 52000 in 2016 and are assumed by the Dept of Transport to continue at this level for the foreseeable future. Even if they recover there is sufficient capacity at East Midland and Stansted airports together with an expanded Heathrow to cover all eventualities. There is therefore no NATIONAL NEED for further airport freight capacity. Particularly why divert freight from East Midland and Stansted airports which are at present underutilised with a business plan which is dependant upon a low cost operation utilising cheap old noisy aircraft which are banned from all major UK airports for noise and safety reasons. The extra road freight which would flow to/from a reopened Manston would cause severe increases in traffic which Kent roads, M25, Thames Crossing etc. would have difficulty in accommodating for NO NATIONAL GAIN. All other airport operations at Manston have failed in the past because it is surrounded on three sides by water and the lions share of potential business has to come past East Midland, Stansted and Gatwick airports before travelling a further 50 miles to get to Manston
RSP'S application is a means of gaining ownership of the land in the knowledge that the airport will fail. Thus opening the way for RSP to develop the site along the lines of the present owners. Does the Minister wish to get involved/implicated in this SCAM FOR NO NATIONAL GAIN?
The existing owners of the site have a have a well researched plan which provides a balanced development which addresses the NATIONAL need for further housing and the local need for additional employment, schooling and leisure facilities. They should be left to bring it into being
- My wife and I live in Ramsgate under the flight path. Our property is a Grade 2 listed Georgian Terraced house overlooking the Royal Harbour which we bought in the full knowledge that the airport existed and enjoyed the convenience of the local airport providing passenger flights to European destinations in modern low noise aircraft. However from circa 2000 a number freight movements began to occur in old noisy aircraft and night flights began. We found it impossible to carry on a conversation when overflown by these aircraft and were woken up by EVERY! night flight. Since the closure of Manston life has returned to normal and the town (Ramsgate) has begun to embrace a flourishing tourism industry linked with its Royal Harbour and environs. Furthermore the fabric of our house is no longer being destroyed by the vibration caused by excessively noisy aircraft - no amount of double glazing will prevent this. RiverOakstrategic Partners plan to reopen Manston as a freight hub utilising frequent night flights with aircraft banned from other UK major airports would disastrously blight the town of Ramsgate, destroy tourism, cause untold damage to the education of local children due to sleep loss and initiate deprivation around the town and other affected areas on a major scale with its cost to the NATIONAL PURSE for no NATIONAL GAIN at all.
3.Reopening Manston as a freight hub is not in the NATIONAL INTEREST and it would destroy living standards in Ramsgate and a greater part of Thanet. Riveroak Strategic Partners LTD is not even a British Co., . it has no experience of airport operations and it has no money to finance operations. THIS APPLICATION MUST BE REJECTED.