Representation by Steven Frank Dickens
- Date submitted
- 26 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The massive increase in aircraft noise over our property that would certainly result from Gatwick Airport being allowed to use its backup runway as a second full time runway would be catastrophic for village life in Penshurst. We remember the stealth build-up of continuous noise that occurred when Gatwick modified the width of the flight path into the airport several years ago, concentrating air traffic over our property. The impact on daily life was truly momentous. It was impossible to spend time outside at leisure any more or enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful countryside for more than a few minutes at a time. Fortunately Gatwick’s underhanded pretences at consultation and wheedling use of false data we’re exposed and the original flight paths were restored. There is no doubt that the projected growth Gatwick targets with this move would again massively increase the density of air traffic and cause a return to those days of continuous jet noise. The flimsy benefits that Gatwick portrays in its case do not bear scrutiny. They would struggle to hire the staff they would need for this expansion. Indeed they cannot even properly sustain the current levels of business they are conducting with customers suffering numerous and constant flight cancellations etc. If they do manage to recruit extra staff, where are they going to live and what new roads will they travel on to reach the airport? The roads are already congested and there is already a shortage of living accommodation in the S.E. At a time when we should be trying to reduce the overall number of flights in order to support the push to net zero in the UK, I can see no environmental or economic merit in this project. The only people that stand to benefit from this expansion would be the faceless owners and shareholders of Gatwick Airport. Please do not approve this reckless and harmful project! Yours faithfully Steven Dickens