Representation by Melanie Khan
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
material is being disseminated that RSP have already received a positive decision and £5 million plus to support their proposal. As this would be unethical and unconstitutional prior to the closing of submissions needs to be investigated. On selling my home in London, nearly 3 years ago, I moved to Ramsgate for my health; the clean air and because it is a beautiful, wonderful, welcoming and vibrant growing multicultural community. My home, the landscape, the church, the people and the community life are all wonderful. Since moving here, I've got two new grandchildren; I've become a member and a volunteer at the local church, who run the GAP homeless project; i've joined local organisations such as P I E working with young people; AIR the community arts project; I've become a volunteer chaplain at the QEQM, my local hospital and I've managed to pursue two of my passions, writing children's books and photography.
I write these things to give you an idea of the life I enjoy in Ramsgate and to help illustrate the devastating effects this cargo hub will have on me as an individual and on my home in this established community. Firstly, the noise levels from large aircraft, being under the flight path, will be unbearable. At present every Friday morning we are woken from our beds at 6 o'clock with the noise of the dustbin trucks entering our road (even with double glazing). Noise from cargo planes will considerably, exceed this on a twice hourly basis even through the night of the viability of the number of planes, are to be believed.
Noise from flights through the night is known to disrupted sleep and increase blood pressure, increasing stress levels, mental ill-health, anger, hostility and the ability of people to function. It is also known to increase incidence of heart attack and stroke which is really worrying as just this weekend plans to move the stroke unit from the local hospital to another location miles away are be in campaigned against.
Noise during the day would mean that I could no longer sit in my garden to write or find enough quiet indoors to concentrate. Much of my photography is of wildlife, such as the guillemot, the shag, the female elder and the red throated diver, rare migrating birds found in the Ramsgate harbour area. These along with Seals at the mouth of the river Stour, I fear will be driven away by the noise.
As a teacher, I am concerned about the effect of increased noise and air-pollution on the health of children locally. In Camberwell, increase traffic pollution substantially increased the absenteeism from school through high incidence of asthma and breathing disorders; where as in Horley, children's performance levels decreased drastically with the increased flights causing increases in air and noise pollution by flights over Gatwick.
I would implore you to look again at the health issues which directly affect over 40,000 people living in Ramsgate. Please prevent decisions being made which will prematurely. Kill many of us and decimate our community. Thank you for listening!