Representation by Philip Digby
- Date submitted
- 26 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Good morning. Thank you for this facility to comment on the Gatwick North Runway. Our home is located 0.3 miles / 0.5 kilometres to the north east of Gatwick Airport. Although we experience aviation noise especially when there are south west to north east winds, we are not commenting on likely increased aviation noise. We understand the needs of the airport. Our local community has very limited walking distance open green spaces, and very limited in size. The airport proposals include reducing the size of Riverside Garden Park in Horley. The reduction in size is described as minimal, however the material affect on the open space is actually material. The reduction in size is being proposed by apparent improvements, however we do not need those "improvements". Riverside Garden Park provides us with a walking distance diverse urban open green space vital to our well being and daily lives. Additionally, the park accommodates a surprisingly broad range of wildlife. The best that could be done for us as part of the local community would be to enlarge the park. To reduce the park will have a materially adverse effect on our daily lives and our well being. It is cheaper for the airport to adversely affect our lives than to construct more expensive access roads. For example the main road could accommodate a tunnel below with another four lanes. What we and the local community quietly enjoy is now at risk. What we need actually is an expanded Riverside Garden Park, such as an expanded area of open green space and woodland extending inside the airport boundary, providing utility for improved local community health and well being, and increased woodland for improving air quality and for improving wildlife habitats. We are living quietly with very limited open green space, and without objecting to the likelihood of increased aviation noise.