Representation by Andrew Joynes
- Date submitted
- 24 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am writing to place on record my objection to the plans to re-open Manston Airport as a cargo hub, and to support the substantial number of Ramsgate and Thanet residents who oppose this retrograde proposal.
The so-called local 'consultations' by RiverOak Strategic Partners earlier this year did not begin to address the complexities of this issue; the 'advisers' in attendance were clearly unaware of the principles of meaningful public consultation. The environmental, social and deleterious health impact of day-long/night-long flights at low level over a built-up area of heritage significance, by ageing cargo planes of dubious reliability, would be considerable. Such flights and the associated industrial activity would have a profoundly damaging impact on an area which in recent years has begun to realise once again the tourism potential of Ramsgate in particular and Thanet in general. In the considered view of leading transport consultants with wide international experience, Manston is not viable as an international airport, whether handling passengers, cargo or a mixture of the two. The present alignment of its runway, which takes flights at low-level directly over an urban area of major heritage significance, was determined during the Second World War by the flight systems of heavy bombers of the USAF, during a time of national emergency.
There is a new emergency facing our nation now - the need for housing. The present 'brownfield' site of Manston airport should be used to address the housing crisis, and to provide homes and light industry for the young people of the future, rather than blighting - as would be the case if RSP's proposals were realised - the lives of the present and future Ramsgate population.