Representation by Mrs Jacqueline Baker
- Date submitted
- 26 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
We are already greatly affected by the noise from aircraft on Route 4 flying over this area, even though we are not in the NPR. Gatwick and the regulator do nothing about this, in fact it is getting worse. The addition of another runway allowing for more flights would be unbearable. There is, in this application, no assessment of the health and wellbeing of residents affected by Gatwick once the other runway is up and running. There will be a large increase in road traffic when construction is taking place and once the second runway is in operation. This would lead to increased congestion, noise and pollution especially on the roads already unsuitable for the current volume of Gatwick traffic. This is unacceptable. With ULEZ zones and the move to electric cars, solar energy and wind farms to name but a few, there seems to be little being done in the aviation sector. The granting of this planning permission would be a backward step in all that has been achieved in this country so far. Over the years the River Mole has caused flooding on many occasions, especially when Gatwick discharges water in extreme events. Climate change is making these extreme events more frequent and severe. Think about the effects of all that extra concrete producing surface water to flow into the River Mole. Expansion of the Airport needs to take this into account. This application deals with flood risk on the airport and immediate vicinity in great detail but does not do so for the effects downstream. Gatwick is competing with Heathrow, Luton and Stansted and indeed other regional airports for a bigger share of the leisure passenger market. Bringing all those extra passengers to Gatwick will have a huge adverse environmental effect on our villages and countryside. The only people to benefit will be Gatwick shareholders. Gatwick’s overall case does not comply with the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) which requires airports (other than Heathrow) that are seeking to expand to demonstrate sufficient need for their proposals, additional to (or different from) the need which would be met by the provision of a Northwest Runway at Heathrow. The four London airports already handle almost 70% of UK air traffic. Increasing that percentage is unnecessary and totally contrary to levelling up.