Representation by James Brooks
- Date submitted
- 16 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I object to the expansion plans at Gatwick Airport for the following reasons. 1) This is an application for a new runway in disguise which does not comply with the Government’s Aviation Strategy. Gatwick does not have 2 runways that it can operate concurrently today as such it is a new runway being constructed. 2) Increase in aircraft noise – there is evidence of an additional 101,000 flights per annum. The plan currently does not stick to agreed published flight paths with planes evidenced as flying over many villages that are not designated as approved routes. 3) There is a lack of any affordable housing locally to enable workers to walk or cycle to work as the applicant proposes 4) Generally only low skilled jobs are offered with little job security due to the volatile nature of the airport’s leisure business. 5) Gatwick sits on the M23 which is deemed an unsafe smart road. To add to the huge increase in freight, passengers and workers will cause a significant increase in congestion on residential roads and an inevitable decline in air quality. 6) The airport sits on the Brighton Main Train Line, which can’t be expanded. Gatwick seeks to add an unacceptable burden to the line with over 32m extra passengers. Trains are already packed to bursting in and out of Gatwick with passengers and luggage as it is. 7) We face a climate emergency, and a new runway would add a significant amount of carbon and greenhouse gases – Evidence CCC (2020) The Sixth Carbon Budget – Methodology Report.