Representation by David Blair
- Date submitted
- 13 September 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am a local resident and having reviewed the "One step closer to a brighter future - for everyone" leaflet, object to the stated bases for the proposal. The following aspects of the proposal are flawed. - "We'll bring forward our goal to be net zero for airport emissions to 2030....We'll be able to increase the number of planes using the airport each year." Fair is foul and foul is fair. Whatever gimmicky off-setting logic has been used to justify these contradictory statements ("green planting" could be done by someone who wasn't releasing tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere) is bound to be hocus pocus attempting to pay lip service to environmental demands. A more honest approach for someone advocating expansion would be (1) to admit that increasing flights will release more carbon and pollutants into the atmosphere, but (2) to attempt to make the case that it is a necessary evil. But Gatwick Airport is not in the business of being honest. - Given the pretence to be helping the environment, the figures around the additional jobs and value to the local economy need to be treated with a healthy degree of scepticism. In deciding whether there is to be a boost to the local economy, it is important to assess whether these could be characterised as long term jobs for local people, or occasional low-paid contracts that will predominantly be filled by unskilled immigrants or people living outside the local area. Honesty around these areas would permit interested parties to get a genuine sense of local opinion on whether these plans represent a brighter future for local people, or whether local people are to be bystanders watching a caravan of workers flood into the area to place a blight on it. - If local people were aware of how much higher the incidence of severe respiratory illness in Crawley is to the national average, it is doubtful they would welcome additional flights. The financial backing behind the airport's propaganda campaign will be able to achieve a disproportionate influence on the debate. This should not be viewed as informed consent. - The government looked at various airport expansion options and concluded that it should focus expansion on Heathrow. As someone who isn't close to the detail, I am baffled at how Gatwick can entertain the idea that they can continue with their expansion plans as if this strategic decision had never been taken.