Representation by Joseph Dance
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am writing in opposition to RIveroak Strategic Partnership's plans regarding a DCO to develop land at Manston. My objection is based on the following points:
Night fights
The applicant has not proposed a direct cap on the number of night flights in the plans submitted. Worse case noise assessments are based on 17,170 ATMs per year, rising to 83,000 ATMs at full capacity. Even at the lower end, this represents an averaged flight quota of 1.9 flights an hour. Growing up under the flight path in Central Harbour ward, Ramsgate, when the former airport was active, I can attest to the adverse impact night flights had on my physical and mental health. For years I suffered from insomnia and panic attacks as a result of my sleep being disturbed by low flying night flights. I am deeply concerned that the applicant is proposing significantly more night flights than any previous operator, and that they are also proposing to accept night flights rated at QC4, which are prohibited at London airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow. A cargo hub operating a high volume of night flights will undoubtedly have a disastrous effect on the health and wellbeing of tens of thousands of residents in Ramsgate, as well as severely limit the cognitive and educational development of thousands of children and young people.
Public Safety
The applicant's proposed total number of ATMs (17,100) places it below the threshold for requiring Public Safety Zones (PSZ). However, given that the applicant states the potential capacity of the airport is 83,000 ATMs, I would argue that the applicant should be specifying PSZs from the outset. I would also argue that during its peak in 2009, Manston handled 30,000 tonnes of cargo a year with only 435 flights and yet a number of near fatal incidents occurred during that time. The current proposal for c.10,000 flights, many of them older cargo planes, dramatically increases the potential for incidents that could cause a major loss of life.