Representation by Alan Welcome
- Date submitted
- 21 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
RSP has not established that a cargo-hub at Manston is a NSIP. RSP’s submission draws on work by[Redacted] seeking to establish NSIP status. I believe that many of her findings are seriously flawed. This is supported by studies from credible aviation experts; Falcon Consultancy (July 2014), Avia Solutions (August 2017), Altitude Aviation (January 2018) and York Aviation (November 2017). All find that a commercial airport at Manston is unnecessary and unviable.
I share PINS’ disquiet about RSP’s failure to adequately explain how its project would be financed. This is particularly worrying given national concerns about corrupt money continuing to enter the UK.
I think these issues are probably the most important within the strict terms of the DCO process and should mean that RSP’s application will be rejected at an early stage.
However, I have to consider the unpleasant possibility that examination of these two points alone may not be found sufficient to put an end to RSP’s plans.
My third concern is the devastating effect that a cargo-hub on the scale envisaged by RSP would have on Thanet in general, Ramsgate in particular and other centres of population including Herne Bay. As a long-time resident of Thanet I feel well qualified to comment on this, as I have known Manston as an RAF base and as a commercial airport. While commercial air-freight operations at Manston were always on a far smaller scale than those proposed by RSP, the impact on Ramsgate was very detrimental. More importantly, though we didn’t know it at the time, training flights (in which planes touch down but then immediately take off again, circle round and repeat the process, sometimes for hours) gave us an insight into what we can expect if RSP gets the go ahead and is successful in attracting business to the anticipated capacity. It is a hideous prospect.
The detrimental effects of commercial aviation at Manston were not limited to Ramsgate. Living in Broadstairs, my main concern was the air pollution and the associated health risks. With predominantly south-westerly winds this will always be an issue. Daytime noise was not such a problem as in Ramsgate, but night-time aircraft movements disturbed our sleep. RSP has not confirmed the flight paths to be employed, so noise may well still become an issue for areas previously little affected.
RSP says that in year two, at least 11,356 homes will experience noise of 80 decibels at night as a result of their project. [paragraph 12.7.55, 28th bundle in PINS's list of documents comprising the environmental statement].
When Manston was operational as a commercial airport I attended packed public meetings at which Ramsgate residents spoke passionately of the poor quality of life resulting from aircraft noise and pollution. I have a file of relevant correspondence with Thanet District Council and the various commercial operators regarding noise, air pollution, safety issues and off-track aircraft.