Representation by David Michael Sadler
- Date submitted
- 27 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Noise I live in Brockham village which is affected by noise fron planes taking off from Gatwick airport. Expansion of Gatwick would significantly increase aircraft noise for us. This project will lead to many more aircraft overhead every hour. Gatwick’s submission with respect to noise relies very much on the introduction of quieter aircraft and larger aircraft carrying more passengers and there is little evidence to support those assumptions. Pressure on local resources I am an NHS employee and know first hand the pressure that GPs, Hospitals, Mental Health and Social Care are under. The proposed Gatwick expansion will add significantly to this pressure through the additional workers on the expansion and to operate the airport thereafter. This pressure will also apply to schools and other facilities. Road Traffic Gatwick’s expansion will create a massive increase in road traffic around the airport and congestion, traffic noise and air pollution will be a major problem throughout the area between the M25 and Gatwick where the roads are unsuitable even for the current volume of Gatwick traffic. Nothing material is proposed in the application to fundamentally change the existing poor road and rail connectivity. The effect on local infrastructure and our communities would be wholly unacceptable. In addition this huge increase in road traffic will lead to a significant increase in pollution and CO2 emissions, both of which are totally unacceptable. Flood Risk I am a resident of Mole Valley and the are has suffered from flooding, especially when Gatwick discharges water in extreme events. Climate change is making these extreme events more frequent and severe. All that extra concrete and other hard surfaces, addtional roads, etc, will produce a huge increase in surface water flowing 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. Need There is no need for an expansion of this scale. The South East already has Heathrow, Luton and Stansted and other regional airports. 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. This requirement is manifestly not met. Gatwick's failure to consider local people and the environment Gatwick should already be insisting on • No night flights. • Airlines to use the quietest aircraft. • Payments to local councils for roads and other infrastructure costs occasioned by the airport. • No further expansion of the airport boundary. • No landings to be allowed routinely on the northern runway. • A reduction in water run-off It has not done any of these things and does not propose to do any of them Gatwick should have a duty to care for local communities and the environment.