Representation by Mrs Kay Norton
- Date submitted
- 29 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
My Children and Grandchildren deserve the best future that is possible and because of that I am totally against the application to build a freight hub at Manston.
I live on the Nethercourt Estate in Ramsgate.
If the plans that RSP have put in are implemented, I feel it would be an environmental disaster for me, my family and thousands of other people.
My Grandchildren, who live in Ramsgate, along with the many children who live on this estate and the whole area, will have their learning ability affected due to being constantly awoken during the night. They will be unable to concentrate at school, let alone hear what is being taught, this will affect their future prospects in life.
We have been told that RSP has no limit on Air Traffic Movements during the night despite its “worst case” assumption of 8 flights per night, which was quoted at a consultation meeting earlier this year. It now seems that they are applying for a quota count system which could mean unlimited night flights.
A few years ago we suffered with old freight planes going over our houses at about 450ft day and night, with decibel readings of 90db. It will be the same again but all night long, residents will suffer from a lack of sleep, resulting in many health problems and thus putting a further strain on the Health Service.
My Husband was diagnosed with [Redacted] when the airport was operational. Since the airport closed his [Redacted] has gone. The only conclusion is that it was caused by the pollution from the planes, as this is the only thing that has changed. No planes, no pollution, no [Redacted]! Many others illnesses have been attributed to pollution from aircraft, which we certainly noticed when Manston was operational.
In the RSP documentation it says that it will have a permanent adverse effect on the area and people’s lives.
Since the airport has closed Ramsgate has become a better place to live and many more people have been attracted to the area. A cargo hub would stop people investing in the area and many jobs would be lost. Tourism in the area would fall, no-one will want to visit an area where you cannot hear what is being said to you or it is impossible to get any sleep!
Vibrations would have an adverse effect on my house and many beautiful old buildings in Ramsgate which need protection, not shaken and destroyed. Even Pugin would have been appalled, his house is right under the flight path!
There is no evidence that we need a freight hub as there is adequate capacity at existing airports. It would affect not just the lives of the people of Thanet, but also the surrounding area as the roads are already full, to propose even more lorries transporting freight and fuel to and from Manston would be a nightmare.
Even the bird numbers in our garden have gone up since Manston closed, they didn’t like the pollution either! So it must affect the nature reserves in the area as well.