Representation by Thanet District Council (Thanet District Council)
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Local authorities
Thanet District Council welcomes the opportunity to be able to provide a relevant representation for the proposed Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) submitted by Riveroak Strategic Partners and accepted by the Planning Inspectorate for examination. The purpose of this relevant representation is to outline the main issues which the Council believes should be considered as part of the process.
Thanet District Council represents all stakeholders within the district as part of this process and will follow the duties and responsibilities as both District Council and the Local Planning Authority.
Thanet District Council does not object to this development of the airport for aviation and has made significant efforts to support a functioning aviation use on the site.
Weight should be given to the draft Local Plan within the NSIP process, as it is due for examination and expected for adoption prior to the decision on the NSIP submission.
Any aviation function on the site requires the appropriate scrutiny to ensure that the economic benefits of the use positively affect local residents and businesses, with the need for all environmental impacts from its construction and operation to be mitigated to an acceptable level.
The main issues for the Planning Inspectorate to consider should include:
- The effect of the proposal on the Draft Thanet Local Plan, including but not limited to the potential for job creation to affect future housing requirements in the district.
- Impact on the highway network, including the assessment of traffic and transportation and the need to provide the northern grass link road to Westwood Cross as part of the Thanet Transport Strategy and Local Plan.
- Noise and vibration impacts for the construction and operation of the project, to include assessment methodology used, the assessment of effects stated and proposed mitigation outlined.
- Air quality, including the need for an emissions mitigation assessment, assessment methodology and effects stated, and proposed mitigation.
- Impacts on Land quality including scope of assessment, methodology, baseline, assessment of effects on human health, appropriate mitigation measures, public water abstraction, groundwater and coastal waters.
- Landscape and Visual impacts from the development.
- Impact on the historic environment.
- Health and Wellbeing of local residents.
- Socio-economic impacts, including but not limited to ensuring the local employment and training is provided from the project.
The Council is seeking to constructively assist the applicant in resolving the issues raised on the above matters, prior to the production of the Council's local impact report. We will be working with the applicant proactively to ensure that this will be subsequently reflected in a statement of common ground to be submitted to the Examining Authority.