Representation by Alexandra Maule
- Date submitted
- 25 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The protection of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with Environmentally Friendly Businesses I live in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Green Belt. Where we live is a part of the an historic Estate which has a rich and interesting history. The village I live in, Crockham Hill was home to Octavia Hill Co founder of the National Trust and we are privileged to live very near to protected National Trust land, preserved buildings, Grange Farm and of course Chartwell, the previous home to Winston Churchill and family. These protected areas are important to the local population but also to many others who come out of cities and towns to enjoy this beautiful and historically significant area. Easily accessible from London, this area improves many people’s lives with its extensive network of footpaths and good pubs and restaurants and attractions. This type of tourism/eco tourism provides a clean and environmentally friendly income for the area including our much loved local pub.The attractions and small businesses provide employment and economic opportunities. Many people including me and family members, are now able to work from home in the area as they are able to work some distance from their offices, again facilitating employment and improving the environment by less commuting. All of these established advantages would be adversely affected by the expansion of Gatwick. This area of the country is not in need of further employment and Gatwick already struggles to fill the current positions it has. It is a heavily populated area and bringing further people in to take new jobs will require further housing and infrastructure- the current demand already being in excess of what is available. This would cause problems for all of us in the locality. Frequent fliers should be encouraged to revisit their work patterns and spend more time working remotely and think of the greater good. We should be flying less and not more. Expansion at Gatwick would have devastating consequences for local communities including people and our and others animals ( sheep, chickens ducks etc.)and wildlife near and under flight paths.The wildlife includes large flocks of geese that use this airspace on a very regular basis. The expansion would blight peoples’ lives including ours as well as the value of their properties which they have worked so hard to pay for. This will create air pollution and noise pollution in an area that people come to for peace and quiet and wellbeing. As some flights seem recently to have started to fly over us on occasion we are aware of how devastating this noise pollution would be for us and others in the location. We would question why this has started already? Expansion would create congestion on our already overstretched road and rail system and have an adverse impact on us as individuals and on surrounding businesses changing the areas where we live for the worse. Climate Impact - As a country we are trying to meet our climate change targets and as a nation we need to work together for the sake of the next generations here as well as in the rest of the world. I understand that government advisers have stated that there is no case for additional airport capacity in the UK and any expansion would have an unacceptable climate change impact affecting all of us and especially those living in the area. The success that Octavia Hill, the National Trust, Local Councils and many others have had in protecting this very special area of outstanding natural beauty over many years would be severely damaged by any Gatwick expansion and increase of flights causing pollution via their presence in the air, and very importantly noise pollution and CO2 which would impact me and family directly. Protecting some of the nation’s important assets and way of life should surely be more important an airport expansion.