Representation by Alexandra Holloway
- Date submitted
- 18 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am strongly against the proposed use of the Gatwick emergency runway as a main runway for routine flights. Since flights have increased back up to pre-Covid levels the amount of noise from aircraft travelling to and from Gatwick is hugely worse. Planes now fly well outside the hours that they used to do historically, and late into the night (which I thought was well beyond the curfew) resulting in planes flying low and so loudly that my children are often woken by the noise. Yes those living close to airports benefit from easy travel but this has to be balanced against the amount of noise pollution that they, and wildlife, are exposed to. A second runway will bring more flights and more noise and disruption. It will also bring increased congestion on roads in the area and increase road pollution etc. It feels like the plan to bring the emergency runway into mainstream use is the airport getting a second main runway but through the back door, which feels wrong. Many people are not aware of this plan and I suspect that is exactly the aim, as opposition will of course be significantly less. There are several regional airports in the South of England (Southampton, Bournemouth) that are struggling to survive. I feel like the additional flights that Gatwick intends to provide through using the emergency runway would be better flying from these regional airports, ensuring that they continue to survive without jobs being lost etc. This region of the South East is a good on with high employment levels and standards of living (in the main) so I do not feel like the argument that jobs will be created by the use of the emergency runway is a valid one. The jobs are likely to better needed elsewhere. I invite the Examining Authority to reject the application, keeping the emergency runway at Gatwick as just that- for use in an emergency only.