Representation by Clive Aslet
- Date submitted
- 3 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am strongly opposed to the DCO of Manston airport because 1. it is economically unjustified and 2. the reinstatement of flights -- with the added horror of night flights -- would have a severely detrimental effect on the town of Ramsgate which lies only a few miles away. At a time when the connection between environment and health is increasingly recognised, night flights, in particular, are an unacceptable option. Manston is not a good place to have a cargo airport because it lies, not in the centre of the country, but in the extreme South-East. Distribution will principally be by lorry, causing pollution and traffic congestion. The South-East of England is desperately short of houses, the building of which has become a national priority. Manston offers a large brownfield site within easy striking distance of London. It is eminently suitable for housing and a good scheme has been proposed by the existing owners. House building is likely to generate more economic activity and local jobs -- both when the dwellings are being built and later, when they're occupied by a new population -- than the airport, which would only offer a small number of low grade jobs. If sites such as Manston are rejected for housing, it's difficult to see how government targets can ever be achieved.