Representation by Allison Royds-Jones
- Date submitted
- 18 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have lived in this area for most of my 67 years. Many of my family live in the area too. I am used to the airport and use the airport for holidays but I am wholly against expansion for the following main reasons, there are many more: Noise and emissions - noise pollution can be debilitating. We are getting more overflying in Copthorne and more night flights. The 777 when taking off makes the house vibrate. New flight paths have changed in recent years causing more noise and potentially will be right over the village if a new runway is built. So a big increase in noise and pollution. New holiday car parks in the area for the increase in passengers, means more polluting cars also clogging up our local roads. The emissions generated will decrease air quality and in a climate emergency, expansion seems ludicrous to me. I worry about the physical and mental health of my younger family members. Infrastructure- all councils in the surroundings area and further have all signed a letter about their grave concerns and that the negatives far outweigh the positives of a second runway. Lack of Housing, particularly social housing as many of the jobs generated will be at the lower skill end. Lack of local transport to support the ingress of employees plus a maxed out motorway and maxed out railway line. Where is the money for the additional schools, colleges etc plus health services across the board? Plus all the additional infrastructure requirements to cope with the influx. Flood plain - part of the airport is on a flood plain and more concrete will create more run off and flooding locally especially as it’s not developing their emergency runway but building a whole new runway, despite the image they conveniently try to create. The river Mole has flooded the airfield on a number of occasions in recent times. It also causes flooding locally too and concerned this will increase.