Representation by Derek Saunders
- Date submitted
- 20 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly oppose an additional runway at Gatwick airport for the following reasons: • The character of parts of Surrey, Sussex and Kent would be altered for ever as a result of urbanisation, noise, pollution and traffic congestion. • The noise impacts would be unacceptable: the Airports Commission found that a new Gatwick runway would increase noise two-fold or three-fold. • A second runway would double the number of aircraft in the sky. New routes over previously peaceful areas or doubling the number of aircraft on existing routes would cause great disturbance, distress and anger. • About 40,000 new houses would be needed, also many new commercial premises, causing urbanisation and loss of countryside. • A second runway at full capacity would mean around 100,000 more vehicles a day in the Gatwick area, causing serious road congestion and delays. The surrounding infrastructure and transport links are inadequate to support the magnitude of this increased volume. The damage to air pollution through increased carbon emissions in this day and age is unacceptable. Furthermore, it is incompatible with the Governments net zero strategy. Please take these comments and my opposition into consideration.