Representation by Dave Payne
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am very concerned about the DCO that you are considering that has been submitted to your committee by a group of businessmen calling themselves RSP regarding a potential reopening of the old Manston airfield as a 24 hour a day Freight operation.
My concern is that a project on the scale proposed will blight my life and I will briefly give an overview as to why.
I live in a road that was historically badly affected by aircraft noise. When I moved here the operator had an agreement with Thanet District Council effectively banning night flights. Some arrival and departures were allowed they were very irregular. The few night flights that happened were extremely disturbing, a jump from a low local background base of what is typically around 20-30db at 3 am here in Ramsgate to over 90+db, a change of over 60 decibels (the heavy 747-400 ser used were even louder and physically shock the house).
I know it is considered this level of noise for the many can be mitigated if only a small area of land is overflown and that is probably what drives the current application for a DCO in that by sacrificing Ramsgate they can minimise the land flyover of older louder politically difficult aircraft. But having experienced the level of disruption even an occasional of these night flights had on my ability to rest I find it difficult to imagine the effect of this every hour or so though the night.
Property prices in the area are now recovering from the effects ot the previous 3 attempts to run the airport as a commercial business and my property is no exception. So the DCO also blights me by its effect on the resale value of my house. As I will probably have to sell it, I expect be fully compensated for the difference between what the house is currently predicted to be worth and the actual worth if it should have to be sold due to the reopening of Manston.
Further to the above I will also be blighted by the effect on my ability to work in that I use the A299/M2 just about every workday. If the volumes of freight are as anticipated by RSP this road on and off Thanet that is used for driving to and back from London could almost become unusable. As a worker relient on the use of a van I may well be forced to move closer, as a remedy can I also expect RSP to pay compensation to me representing the difference in purchase price for an equivalent property closer to London.
I am opposed to the reopening of Manston as a Freight hub as described in the application for a DCO for the reasons given above
I hereby let it be known to you and give you notice that I want a representation to PINS in persian