Representation by Sue Dowdall
- Date submitted
- 17 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have lived in Balcombe (6 miles south of Gatwick Airport) for over 40 years. It is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and has been a very peaceful village. I am very concerned that, should the Northern Runway be accepted as a second runway, to be used constantly, that the infrastructure of roads will not be able to cope with the extra traffic this will generate. The M23 is already a very busy motorway, often with accidents, and many drivers take short cuts through our tiny country lanes to avoid congestion. Secondly, there are already times when one can 'smell' fumes from planes that have had to offload their extra supply of fuel before landing. This is toxic to us, and to the wonderful trees and vegetation that surround us. How long we can remain an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will be in dispute should this application be accepted. It will ruin our way of life.