Following last night's open meeting of the RAF London Kent Manston etc etc 'consultative' committee (where it was also announced that Flybe will running a scheduled service to the, er, exotic destination of Jersey next year), reader Steve has copied me in on this open letter to the residents of Ramsgate:Dear Residents,
I write to you with information from the Manston Airport Consultative Committee public meeting on Tuesday 2nd December 6:30pm. The meeting I felt was key to attend, specifically as I live on the Ramsgate flight approach path and I'm very interested in developments at the airport suggested in its Draft Masterplan, published on 8th October.
For those not familiar with its content, the Masterplan predicts growth, and sets out plans to accommodate 1.2 million passengers by 2010, 2 million passengers by 2013, and eventually rising to 6 million passengers by 2033. The Masterplan also details how this will be achieved, and touches on the effect this will have on the surrounding environment. The full plan is available on the Manston Airport website.
Many facts and figures were discussed, but the points important to me and every other Ramsgate resident are obvious - increases in flights over our town will have a detrimental effect on our lives through continuous noise pollution. Flights will arrive for 70% of the time over Ramsgate, with planes only at 500ft creating noise levels of over 100 decibels for the noisiest aircraft, with the average maximum at 85 decibels. Night flights, which have increased by 518% since the current owners took ownership, will wake you from your sleep on occasions. Ramsgate Main Sands, the town centre and harbour will all suffer from increased noise levels.
This will only work to discourage visitors and new business from coming to Ramsgate. House prices will depress at a greater rate verses other parts of Thanet that are not under the flight path.
Only two members of the public attended the meeting last night. The public has until 19th December to officially respond to the Masterplan. The next step for the Masterplan is to submit a full planning application to the council, who fervently support all development up to 10 million passengers a year at Manston.
You can voice your opinion in many ways; by electronic feeback on the Manston Airport website; by writing to your local councillor (details available on TDC's website); or by writing to your local MP, Stephen Ladyman. If you think airport expansion is a bad thing for Ramsgate, you have to make your voice heard before its too late.
Kind Regards, Steve Higgins
So, if you're at all concerned, do use the links in my sidebar on the right to make your feelings known.
Click here to read Flybe story in yourfannitinnit
19 comments:
Is it a daft plan or is this a real threat?
I have never heard such a one sided load of claptrap in all my life (except for a political manifesto)
This is outrageous. I want to know facts. Will noise levels significantly grow in Ramsgate or not?
When is someone in the press corps going to wake up to the fact that the Manston proposals include using land that China Gateway want!
As they can't both use the same land, difficult to drive through a warehouse, who will be given precedence?
Or are the Councils intending to try and either sell their ransom strip to both parties, or to the highest bidder?
There's no conflict. Manston has a plan. There isn't a planning application and I doubt that we'll ever see one. What we should all be discussing is the elephant in the room (i.e. what is plan B?)
The Flybe flights are much more expensive than comparable flights from other airports to Jersey by the same company. Can't see too many takers for the trips unless folk really want to avoid Gatwick and are prepared to pay accordingly.
Seems like Southend airport has a much better chance:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article5276175.ece
Oi, stop this talk of pachederms in the room as it maligns Owwfisers at local authorities and Cllrs, hrrrmp.
Anyone had a look at the AMR regarding the Master plan , thought not, its being discussed at Full cabinet tonight at TDC.
With such small public turn out it would seem that the large percentage of people in Ramsgate/Thanet simply don't care or are supportive of Infratils expansion plans... what's all the fuss about? Majority rules and all that.
If they thought there was even a tiny chance of it ever happening they may be more concerned.
if anyone wants the facts on noise increases, look at the masterplan itself. ECR has a link to Manstons website, you can get to the masterplan from there.
page 100 shows the current noise levels, with current flight numbers. The whole of ramsgate from boundary road in the north to london road in the south is within a 57 decibel average contour. The civial avaiation authority deem this level to bring the "onset of significant community annoyance".
More planes = more annoyance.
Night flights have gone up 518% in the 3 years Infratil have owned the airport, where flights have gone up 19%. The 57 decibel level is an everage taken during the day, deemed as 0700 to 2300. Night flights ain't even in there.
Any increase in the airports activity will naturally make the 57 decibel area noisier - assuming they fly during the day!
The next key level of noise is 63 decibels. This is the point the airport becomes (volountarily) liable to soundproof your home and potentially make up in any shortfall on sale proceeds.
I personally wouldn't want my home blighted in this way, as living there would be unbearable and selling would be impossible.
you've got to complain people. as 10.05am says, ramsgate seems accepting of its fate.
Steve, "you've got to complain people" a bit dictatorial isn't it. We haven't "got" to do anything. Obviously, by the low turn out of the public which you report, the airport does not seem to be a nuisance to them as much as it is to you.
tony,
as I said on thanet strife, you may be able to gain compensation for having stanted in your back garden.
If take your head out of the sand and read my dictatorial comments, you might actually learn something.
So Steve, anybody with a different point of view to youself are wrong, and have there "heads in the sand". Still sounds a dictatorial attitude to me.
tony, try actually making a point rather than concentrating on mine
Steve, I've made the point, the airport is there and you moved near it, so accept it.
Anybody who is for the airport is mad. Anybody who knows what has happened to south west London as a result of plane noise will realise that this is very damaging to quality of life.
tony, no,.
Was the "..accept it." an order? Bit dictatorial.....
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