Representation by Paul Stuart Rawlings
- Date submitted
- 19 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Main Concerns: Noise pollution Climate change Water run off Congestion around the airport The sheer size of this expansion and the infrastructure involved Impact on the environment I have listed general concerns along with those we have due to the proximity of our own home to the airport boundary. We could potentially be situated between two runways. Community and Global Objections The planned Gatwick expansions will have a serious impact on the communities and residents around the airport. Our roads and services are already under huge pressure, and this will increase. There will also be an increase in aircraft and traffic noise, and air pollution. All this will seriously affect the health and well being of local residents and the environment. The proposals will also have an impact on climate change. The aim of doubling the number of flights at Gatwick goes against what we have been told we must do to slow down climate change. This is a very urgent global issue and cannot be ignored. There are no credible low carbon technologies for commercial aviation, and the planned expansions at Gatwick would greatly increase CO2 emissions. An increase of this scale is inconsistent with government policy. Issues that Impact Our Home Noise The increase in noise resulting in the use of the proposed 2 parallel runways would make the noise levels intolerable and our home uninhabitable. This in turn would have a serious impact on our health, hearing and wellbeing. Sleep and rest time would also be disturbed. I am aware that a maximum day-night average sound level of 65 dB is incompatible with residential communities. Water The land we are built on is heavy clay. The airport is our neighbour and higher than our home. Rainwater runs off the surrounding land towards the house. The clay does not drain quickly and can sit in the garden for several days. This makes the garden inaccessible and waterlogged. The enormous amount of proposed new building, along with the runway proposals, would result in a serious increase in rainfall run-off. This would have a very serious impact on us, potentially flooding our home. This issue affects all the properties on the road and residents take great care to manage the water that runs onto their land. Rainwater run-off also affects the highway, Ifield Road. This is a main thoroughfare to Crawley with a speed limit of 40 mph. There are ditches along the road that flow into the River Mole and to the rear of the houses; but these are unable to cope with the present water levels during heavy or prolonged rainfall . At times the road is flooded and dangerous to drivers. This issue needs to be very seriously considered. Pollution We have noticed an increase in the air of the smell and taste of aircraft exhaust and/or aviation fuel. This is very unpleasant and does cause health concerns. A parallel runway, with a potential to double the number of flights, would only add to these levels. Any one of the above issues would make our home unsaleable. A home hard earned over many years. I seriously object to the proposal of a parallel runway.