Representation by Kim Palmer
- Date submitted
- 6 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Noise Pollution I have lived in Ramsgate since 1987 under the old airport flight path in St Laurence. Initially it was only a military airport, barely used, with no indication of expansion or change of use. Planes were horribly noisy when they passed over our house. When it became a passenger airport, noise remained a problem (even with more modern planes): halting conversation, drowning out tv, regularly setting off car alarms and frightening my young children. I was regularly woken up every night for months between 11pm- 1am by a late arriving plane. Night waking and lack of sleep takes a toll on our health and wellbeing – this is a well documented fact. RiverOak (ROSP) states, in their 2018 Consultation Doc12.9.68, that “..... a large number of dwellings ....are subject to moderate or major adverse impacts,” in the DCO 5.1 /4.1.44, RSP have contradicted or underestimated this, citing a maximum of 225 homes as potentially being ”exposed to significant annoyance, disturbance and sleep disturbance.” Far more than 225 homes were affected by the closed airports – planes came in to land low over the harbour, across St Laurence, Nethercourt and into Manston, affecting all of the dwellings beneath their path, including schools. Lessons at my son’s school would be halted until the noise had abated. With the introduction of a cargo hub, even if buildings are insulated, windows and doors will need to remain shut in stifling summer heat to the detriment of we who live, work, learn or holiday here.
Air Pollution I am [Redacted] and pollution from a cargo hub is a grave concern. The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) says: • Air pollution represents a major public health challenge and has been linked to cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and dementia. • Each year, around 29,000 deaths in the UK are attributable to pollution from particulate matter. NO2 meanwhile has an effect on mortality equivalent to 23,500 deaths annually in the UK. [Redacted] I therefore object to this cargo hub on health grounds. Tourism Thanet is blessed with lovely seaside towns. The local economy is boosted by tourism. Recently, plans have been put forward to develop a Marina Village in Ramsgate, which boasts the only Royal Harbour in the country. The Ramsgate Wartime Tunnels bring in tourists too as do our local Thanet festivals, beaches, Turner Gallery and other attractions. This would be blighted by a noisy cargo hub and damaging to our towns. Every commercial airport at Manston has failed. We are not situated in the right place for passengers or for cargo to travel easily to their destinations. We do not have the road infrastructures in place either – Operation Stack caused mayhem, and the number of heavy duty vehicles needed to transport the fuel needed for a busy cargo hub will also cause chaos. For these reasons I do not support RiverOak's plans for a Cargo Hub, nor can I see evidence they can fund it or make it work for our local economy.