Representation by Mhairi Cummins
- Date submitted
- 12 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The main issue is that the Northern runway is not suitable for use as a second runway. Gatwick had their plans for a second runway rejected and trying to adapt the northern runway to become a fully operational runway is their way of trying to get around this. They are not allowed to have a second runway. Besides this, upgrading the northern runway would badly affect the surrounding countryside and its residents with the runways expansion into that countryside, and increased noise for anyone on the flight path due to the increased flights. Residents already suffer increased disturbance from flights that do not stick to the existing permitted flight path and this disturbance will only become worse if the number of flights were to increase. They are currently unable to always deliver a complete service due to their existing staffing and other issues, so increasing the capacity of the airport makes no sense as these issues would just become worse, with more passengers receiving poor service. The suggestion that this plan would help increase employment in the area is not enough of a mask to cover the environmental issues caused by damaging the countryside and increasing the number of flights in the area. The only infrastructure improvements will be those servicing the airport. There will be no benefit to other areas surrounding the airport.