Representation by Susan Shove
- Date submitted
- 29 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Application by Riveroak Strategic Partners Ltd for an Order Granting Development Consent for the Manston Airport.
I am totally against the RSP proposal for a freight hub at Manston.
I have been a resident of Ramsgate since 1982. I live in a Grade II Listed Georgian house in a Conservation Area overlooking the Royal Harbour. I am also on the flight path. I have seen and lived through the demise of three private owners of Manston and their attempts to create a successful and profitable freight hub. Previous studies have shown that a viable and commercial operation cannot be substantiated.
The location of Manston with a flight path directly over Ramsgate and the surrounding urban areas will be catastrophic and will have a massive detrimental effect on the growth of tourism in the whole area. There are over 400 listing sites and buildings and four Conservation Areas (Pegwell (SSSI), Montefiore, Royal Esplanade and Central Harbour). In 2017 Ramsgate became one of Historic England's first Heritage Action Zones. There are now 18 HAZ's but Ramsgate is still the only HAZ in the south-east region.
Previous day and night flights were extremely disruptive to me and my family. We would be awoken at 3am by the noise of the planes and the vibration would literally sake the house. There are four schools immediately under the flight path and the noise and pollution had a serious impact on the pupil's studies with teachers having to stop teaching because of the noise. The location of Manston, with a flight path directly over the town of Ramsgate and the surrounding villages not only disrupts daily life but it should be emphasised that the noise, pollution and sleep deprivation leads to stress and health problems in old and young alike.