Representation by Nicholas Anthony Blackwell
- Date submitted
- 17 September 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Totally against Gatwick expansion. It is unforgivable that only relatively recently Gatwick’s plans for expansion were denied in favour of Heathrow. And yet here we are again. Gatwick already has MORE night flights than Heathrow and the level of noise this year has been intolerable. Planes seem come in on pretty much any route they like and don’t tell me they don’t because they come in all directions around me at least 30% are nowhere near the designated flight paths. Pollution around many parts of West Sussex is dreadful and at a time when LONDON is introducing the wider Congestion charge scheme we now face massive increase in air pollution from this proposal. The wider infrastructure is already broken with many roads unusable with thousands a potholes and yet this proposal will put more demands on the road network. I oppose the Gatwick Airport application for a northern runway because it is a new runway – * Policy has been misinterpreted by the applicant. This is an application for a new runway and does not comply with policy, Government’s Aviation Strategy. Gatwick does not have 2 runways ‘existing’ that it can operate concurrently today as such it is a new runway being constructed at night. * Massive Increase in aircraft noise which is already dreadful and in an area which is increasingly built up. * Further Decline in air quality further again at times polluted air is above World Health levels. * Gatwick sits on a single main road, the M23 which is deemed an unsafe smart road and which floods several times a year. To add the huge increase in freight, passengers and workers will cause a significant increase in congestion on residential roads and an inevitable decline in air quality. * The airport sits on the Brighton Main Line, which can’t be expanded. Gatwick seeks to add an unacceptable burden to the line with over 32m extra passengers and luggage. * We face a climate emergency, and a new runway would add a significant amount of carbon and greenhouse gases – Evidence CCC (2020) The Sixth Carbon Budget – Methodology Report. Available at: www.theccc.org.uk * Potential for flooding and sewage entering the river system again travelling to the River Arun.