Representation by David Brisley
- Date submitted
- 2 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Planning Inspectorate
Manston Airport RSP Application 24 September 2018
Manston DCO
Having lived in Ramsgate since before the closure of the airport in 2014, I feel that I must raise some points about the blight that will placed on our region by the plans of RSP to reopen this airport. My family home is situated across Elms Avenue from the Clarendon House School and will suffer from the same noise levels (measured at >100dB in past ATMs) as the school. Before the airport closed many night flights were arriving in the early hours and waking my family. The runway is only just over three kilometres from my home and aircraft are around 200metres above my home on their approach path. Children will be deafened during the day at school and our sleep interrupted at night. Ramsgate homes begin around 1km from the runway and the Royal Harbour only 4 km away where I received several complaints from visiting boat owners about the noise when I worked in the Marina office. Tourism is growing in the area but noise and pollution will not help it. Over and above the noise and pollution from the aircraft directly, we need to bear in mind the road transport that will be necessary to support the airport. The ATMs envisaged will require in excess of 50 tankers to provide fuel and more than 400 HGVs to feed air freight in and out of the airport, these numbers being daily figures. RSP give little information about their organisation and directors. They have been rejected in the past and appear financially inept and have little experience of the aviation world. Their calculation of noise and pollution effects are nonsensical and they give no caps to ATMs and ground transport movements. Several consultants have already made assessments that Manston is not viable for freight or passenger transport. Competition in these sectors is very keen and starting a new venture in this field will be disastrous for the residents of the area, and ultimately for the investors.