Representation by Mr David Batten
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
A. BENEFITS OF AN AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AS OPPOSED TO HOUSING Thanet needs employment opportunities. It lost 4,000 jobs when Pfizer moved, and although tourism is gradually increasing, will never regain the earlier peak of 30,000 seasonal visitors to Ramsgate. There is a country wide need for affordable homes but housing developments will not provide any employment. Many of the houses built/bought locally are occupied by people who work in London, and London boroughs keen to provide social housing at far lower prices than locally. In the proposals mooted by Stonehill Park (SP) is industrial unit development, but this will not generate employment, only attract companies away from existing locations. The number of vacant industrial units in Thanet and surrounding areas shows that supply currently outstrips demand so building more will not help the situation. Manston Airport operating at only partial capacity in 2014 provided 144 jobs, and with enhanced capacity could provide many more, together with associated airplane recycling, aviation training, support facilities, etc.
B. EFFECT ON SURROUNDING POPULATION Manston Airport goes back over a hundred years and was used mainly for military aircraft until 1968. Before then there was The Municipal Airport of Ramsgate operating from what is now Pysons Road Industrial Estate from 1930. This was located much closer at 1.5 miles from the town centre. The people of Ramsgate have known about, and experienced aircraft movements, and there has been up until now, little comment or criticism about it. Ramsgate has hosted many air races and air shows even with Concorde, and was a Military Diversion Airfield operation 24/7 every day of the year, it was also home to 22 Squadron Search and Rescue Westland helicopters. Pollution is a concern for everyone, everywhere, but if aircraft are not landing at Manston they will be going elsewhere. Aircraft are becoming cleaner and more efficient so levels can be expected to fall in the future. Night flights have been the main platform for detractors of the airport but Riveroak Strategic Partnership (RSP) have had to include the possibility of these in their submission, but when questioned are in practice against them. SP propose 3,700 houses which could mean up to 20,000 vehicle movements per day. Given DFT statistics of average six mile journeys, it would place an impossible strain on the local road network.
C. AIRPORT OPERATION VIABILITY Dedicated freight aircraft which cannot land at peak times at other airports found Manston was able to offer a fast unloading facility. Cargo such as fresh produce from Africa had the benefit of valuable additional shelf life. Such consignments may increase given Brexit and more trading with other long haul locations. Manston Airport has rapid access to the A299 dual carriageway and M2/M20 motorway networks. This means cargo can be unloaded and on its way before a plane circling Heathrow or Gatwick has even landed. The new Lower Thames Crossing near Tilbury will provide a fast route to Essex for freight and also enhance potential passenger traffic. Cargo handling was increasing well at Manston but the economic crisis in 2007/2008 led to a downturn in 2009 in all areas of business and commerce and so Manston was of course affected, but still managed to increase until closure in 2014. Passenger traffic has maybe not been particularly well managed but KLM were quite satisfied with their plane occupancy levels for international travellers going via Schiphol to long haul destinations, and have indicated they will return when Manston reopens. Ramsgate may be seventy five miles from London but the high speed rail link means passengers can travel from central London in an hour and half and be at check-in. This cuts about 1.5 hours from platform to gate time and arguably means overall travel times to departure gate are the same or better than other London airports. Detractors from Manston say it is 75% surrounded by sea and so unviable for passenger traffic but other seaside airports such as Southend on Sea, Southampton, and Newquay are all enjoying expansion and success which can be the same for Manston. I should mention that I have lived in Ramsgate for seventeen years and am under the flight path for planes to Manston.