Back to list Gatwick Airport Northern Runway

Representation by Katherine Daniels

Date submitted
20 October 2023
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  • already when the emergency runway is in use it creates significantly more noise pollution (to the extent where it wakes you). We are very fortunate to live in an area of outstanding natural beauty which is meant to be conserved but this increased noise pollution will absolutely destroy the peace and tranquility which is a key characteristic of such areas, permanently removing the joy of escaping into nature (away from such pollution) for generations to come. It is deservedly described as “one of the best medical landscapes of Northern Europe and has remained unique and recognisesble for the last 700 years” this is a national asset that must be conserved not just for the local area but for us as a country as a whole. - relating to the above within this area of outstanding natural beauty are numerous grade 1 listed buildings ( and grade 2 listed beyond beyond counting) including , hever, chartwell, Scotney castle, chiddingstone castle, pashley manor, Penshurst place, igtham mote, emmets gardens to name but a few. This is an unusl density of such historical asserts due to the role th is region and its historic families played throughout our history. Increased noise pollution will create irreparable damage to these unque sites and their enjoyment and the sound scape of such spaces is as much part of their characteristics as the buildings and gardens themselves. - Gatwick currently does not cope with its current runways. We have children and spent 2hrs waiting to get through passport control due to lack of staff (2 people processing families on our last two visits and this dropped to 1 on one occasion due to a problem with the foreign national line) and infrastructure in place to process the current numbers of passengers and flights. Until the airport is able to manage current passenger volume in peak school holiday times this should not even be under consideration. Leaving children without food/ water/ access to toilets whilst in a 2 hr line is not acceptable and impossible for those travelling as a lone parent. Every other airport in Europe seems to manage this for children in under 30 minutes. Gatwick is woefully understaffed at busy times and this looks unlikely to change . The lines were all at capacity and I dread to think what it would be like with even more flights. Given Gatwick steuggles to fill current vacancies increasing airport size and staff demand is likely to worsen the staff shortage situation also leading to delayed flights,long lines, cancellations, increased security threats due to rushed staffed (and short staffing) and a poorer experience all round. - it is simply not necessary expansion at Heathrow with its improved international connections is a much better alternative and easily accessible for those in the same area Gatwick serves. - here is not the infrastructure to support it much of the region suffered hosepipe bans not due to lack of rainfall but insufficient capacity to process and clean water to meet demand. Expanding the airport will require more water both directly and indirectly as increased development would also be needed to house staff (which will be hard to achieve anyway due to th e multiple designations of the lane surrounding it). - it will also create more pollution and traffic congestion as most people use cars to get to Gatwick