You say (35)

#Manston #nightflights

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I would like to say at the very outset that I am AGAINST night flights in any shape or form, that is flights that arrive or take off between the hours of 11.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m. from Manston.

Apart from the fact that everyone needs a good night’s sleep in order to function properly the next day, it is my basic human right as defined by the European Court of Human Rights.

I feel that no airport anywhere should be even allowed to contemplate night flying unless all daytime capacity has been fully exhausted. My understanding is that even London Heathrow is only allowed a minimum of night flights per annum and as we all know, this is one of the busiest airports in the world. Noise quotas should have no bearing on night flights. The simple fact of the matter is that if it wakes me up its too loud!

Manston airport operates at gross daytime under-capacity. I work from home in Acol and I hear the number of flights that take off from there on a daily basis, whether they take off towards the east over Ramsgate or the west over the villages and Herne Bay. These can be counted on the fingers on one hand! You will note that I say over the villages, as although looking at the recommended flight path on various maps of the area Acol is not shown as being on the flight path, in reality this is not the case. They actually fly right over Acol for the most part and I have complained to Manston on many occasions to no avail. This is bad enough during the day or evening, but during the night, to be woken suddenly with such a horrendous roar overhead, the house often vibrating from the turbulence a 747 causes, is quite frightening. When taking off towards the east, the bedroom is filled with aviation fumes and that is in the winter time with the windows closed. I can’t imagine what this would be like in the summer when the windows are open. It’s actually possible to smell the increase in air temperature with the fumes this presents and I cannot believe that over the long term this is going to be detrimental to not just my health but everyone who is directly affected by these night flights in Ramsgate at one end and Acol, Manston, Beltinge and Herne Bay at the other end.

As far as employment is concerned, I know from living in the Isle of Thanet all my life, that employment prospects have never been great. Companies who want to either migrate here or expand existing facilities and operations also know this! That is when, if all else fails, companies play the ‘jobs card’. Thanet District Council should not fall for this one, for history shows that for the most part few jobs are seldom created, particularly for local people. It’s all part of a big ploy of trying to hold Thanet District Council to ransom if you like. If the night flights plan is given permission, then I suspect very few jobs will be created in proportion to the number of flights. It has already been documented that Manston’s existing staff are underutilised and projections of increased staff requirements are largely bogus and exaggerated. Manston will just have to think about a Plan B.

My fear about all this is if and once Manston is given the go ahead for this crazy plan, it is going to be very hard to revert. Once the genie is out of the bottle it’s very difficult to get it back in again!

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To whom it may concern.

I am writing to AGAINST to the proposal for scheduled night flights at Manston Airport.

I am AGAINST the proposal on the following grounds:

1. Night flights will cause disturbed sleep. This has serious impacts on health and well being. This is especially serious within vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. These groups do not have the choice to simply move somewhere else out of the flight path. The effects on health are clearly documented in the WHO report: Night Noise Guidance for Europe published 2009. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/43316/E92845.pdf  

2. The likely adverse effects on the environment have been insufficiently addressed.

3. There has been insufficient analysis on the effect of the existing and future Thanet Tourism industry.

4. Most night flights will be cargo flights, which are larger, dirtier, noisier aircraft. This also places extra strain on the road infrastructure, without bringing great economic benefits to the people of Thanet. Any additional jobs created at the airport must be offset against the damage to existing independent businesses throughout the area. I don't believe the matter of job losses within Thanet has been taken into account or addressed.  

5. Most of the money generated will go to shareholders who don't live in the area. The New Economics Foundation refer to this drain out of an area to distant shareholders as the leaky bucket syndrome. Money invested in small businesses stays in the area where the small business exists. Hotels and guest houses under the flight path will struggle to achieve the aim of a regenerated Thanet. http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/plugging-leaks Thanet District Council needs to support existing local communities, ensuring the investment stays within Thanet for the benefit of our struggling communities and to plan for a sustainable growth. People are not going to be attracted to live under the flight path of night time cargo flights.

6. The proposed flights are for freight. I do not believe that damage to our existing industry has been taken into account. As a coastal district, one of our main industries is the visitor economy. How will increased night flights of freight bring a positive impact on the growth of our visitor economy?

7. I believe the number of jobs created is tiny compared to the amount of jobs that will be created in Thanet through a thriving, sustainable visitor economy. The wages earned at Manston are low. The small number of low wage jobs are simply not worth it when offset against the damage that these scheduled night flights will bring.

8. I own a five star gold bed and breakfast guest accommodation in Margate. In two and a half years of trading, all of my foreign guests have come via train or ferry. I estimate that our business would be devastated if we were suddenly under the flight path with night flights. My guests find it most convenient to arrive by ferry from mainland Europe. There is simply no need or benefit to Thanet to allowing our green isle to be devastated by an unsustainable and unenvironmental policy such as scheduled night flights.

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You say (34)

#Manston #nightflights

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EAST KENT FRIENDS OF THE EARTH GROUP

Our Group is opposed to any night flights at Manston up to 4 flights per nights would only increase the adverse noise impact for local residents and people as far away as Herne Bay and Sandwich.

Kent International Airport has underestimated the potential noise impact as the consultant’s report clearly points out local residents are experiencing considerable noise now with day time flights they shouldn’t be expected to tolerate it at night also.

The Airport Master Plan claims that Manston could handle 2.29m passengers and 167.500 tonnes of freight by 2018 whilst creating up to 2000 new jobs. This figure is grossly over optimistic for such a short timescale we understand that Thanet has long-term economic difficulties and high unemployment but expanding flights at Manston is not a long term answer to these serious problems. Firstly how are Thanet and East Kent roads expected to cope with all the extra car journeys and lorry movements expansion at Manston would generate.

Also how can increasing flights be compatible with The Climate Change Act, The UK will have little chance of cutting C02 emissions be 80% by 2050 if Airport are allowed to keep increasing flights. Britain needs to reduce air travel especially internal flights. France has shown that expanding high speed rail is the way forward many more people there are choosing rail than internal flights. Our Group does support linking Manston to the rail network and a new Manston Parkway Station which would be served by South Eastern High Speed Services. We support any measures to improve public transport and cycling routes between Manston and the rest of Thanet and East Kent.

We hope Thanet District Council will consider the long term adverse environmental effects of allowing night flights and further expansion at Manston and will reject Kent International Airports plans.

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Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to register my objection to the proposed scheduled night flights proposal submitted by Infratil to Thanet District Council.

I am against this proposal for a number of reasons, which I would like to outline below.

Jobs

Infratil claims that the night flight proposal they are putting forward will create thousands of jobs for the local community, indeed they are claiming that scheduled night flights are essential to meeting the massive expansion they are predicting in their Master Plan. It is worth noting that the original Master plan published in November 2009 had predicted that Manston would by 2011 be handling some 1 million passengers and 100,000 tonnes of cargo and deliver some 1,000 employees to the local community. The reality is a somewhat less impressive 25,000 passengers and 30,000 tonnes of cargo and 110 airport employees. These growth predictions were made in the full knowledge that no scheduled night flights were allowed under the section 106 agreement so the complete failure to reach anywhere near these predictions cannot be blamed on the lack of scheduled night flights.

Infratil has failed to address the real reasons behind this failure and instead seem to be looking to blame it on and use it to justify their submission for scheduled night flights. Indeed Infratil has only slightly revised its original Master Plan growth predictions for 2018 to 500,000 tonnes of cargo and 2,286,000 passengers and some 3,500 jobs created, a claim which TDC's own independent review carried out by Parson Brinckerhoff states "In our opinion it is highly likely that the 2018 planning assumption used is significantly overstated". Furthermore they concluded that "MIA would only be excluded from 9% of the scheduled freight market if the night flying ban were to remain". It is hard therefore to concluded that the failure to date or the future success of the airport is related to scheduled night flights.

These inflated freight and passenger numbers are used as the basis of the thousands of jobs to be created claim but even here the figures do not add up. Infratil use a simplistic assumption of 1,000 jobs per 1 million passengers, a figure which goes against all other airport operators real life experiences and contradicts their recent admittance that if they doubled the amount of freight they handle, and increased the passengers from 30,000 a year to 750,000 a year, they would create just 23 new jobs. Whilst any jobs created are to be welcomed we must be told the true number of jobs an expansion of KIA would bring before we can asses them against the impact the expansion would have on the local community.

I am also concerned that nowhere in Infratil's proposal or indeed in TDC's own independent review are job losses caused by scheduled night flights evaluated. Many local people are employed in areas on which the impact of night flights is at best uncertain and at worse potentially devastating. Many businesses are reliant on tourism which could suffer greatly if scheduled night flights are allowed. Additionally, new people have been attracted to the area by its many unique attractions, the beautiful beaches, the faster rail link to London, the areas stock of fine period houses. These people have brought with them a boom in the refurbishment of property which has supported employment in local trades and lead directly to a regeneration of our town centres services such as restaurants, bars, museums.

This influx of investment is under threat of not only been strangled off but indeed reversed. Families will not be willing to subject themselves to the consistent noise scheduled night flights will bring and we risk losing not only the jobs their investment in the area supports but their jobs when they move away.

Our Children

The proposals as submitted by Infratil take no account on the impact that scheduled night flights will have on the quality of life of our most vulnerable and valued citizens, our children. The proposal by Infratil only seems concerned with the number and noise level of aircraft movements between the hours of 23:30 and 06:30. Quite apart from the fact that Infratil wish to redefine the definition of night time to exclude the periods 23:00 - 23:30 and 06:30 - 07:00 it wishes to have no limits on either the number or noise levels of flights within these well recognised 'shoulder periods' or during the hours when our children are actually trying to sleep.

Indeed the 1.8 flights a night average which Infratil often quotes is far from the reality we or our children would experience. Infratil's own estimates put an additional 6 aircraft movements of unlimited noise levels in the redefined night periods of 23:00 - 23:30 and 06:30 - 07:00 bringing the number of flights from 1.8 to 8 a night although in practice they would be unlimited in number. The situation grows only more disturbing when aircraft movements within the 07:00 - 23:00 period are included, although difficult to define numbers exactly as the proposal is for unlimited flights and noise during this period an estimate of only 2 - 3 aircraft movements an hour would lead to an additional 12 flights of unlimited noise levels, a total of approximately 20 flights a night our children must suffer through, a far cry from Infratil's headline 1.8.

The impact of this level of disturbance on our children's sleep cannot be overstated, it would be devastating. TDC's independent review carried out by Parson Brinckerhoff concludes that "In relation to the proposed QC quota, the exclusion of the shoulder hours from the night time period is out of step with other airports" and that "the analysis of the noise impacts have, in our opinion, resulted in an underestimation of the potential adverse impacts on residents in the area". The WHO has warned against the adverse health effects of exposure to noise levels greater than 40db and measured the damage to the cognitive development of children, specifically reading comprehension.

Our Homes

Living under a flight path not only damages your health it destroys the value of your main asset, your home. Many people have worked hard for decades to afford a home and in a single moment will see a sizeable reduction in its value. Estimates do vary but homes under flight paths have well documented reductions in their values and with every 10% reduction in value individual losses would measure in the tens of thousands of pounds, extrapolated over the thousands of homes affected this would add up to tens of millions of value destroyed.

This is a conservative estimate, a more realistic 25% loss on 5,000 £165,000 affected homes would wipe in excess of 200 million pounds off the value of residents homes. This devaluation would instantly see many people in negative equity with terrible consequences for inward investment and a potential downwards spiral for affected areas. There has been no attempt by Infratil in its proposal to calculate or inform local residents of these potential personal losses.

We are asked by Infratil to believe that scheduled night flights will lead to an expansion of KIA which will bring both jobs and prosperity for the people of Thanet with minimal negative impact on our quality of life. The thousands of jobs they promise are based on over optimistic growth predictions for cargo and passengers and exaggerated numbers of jobs created on the back of these which any assessment of the figures will show. Increased cargo flights if they can ever be delivered will bring at best a small number of low paid jobs and the dream of based passenger carriers is doubtful due to the geographical constraints identified in the TDC's independent report. Scheduled night flights will not bring the prosperity promised, indeed these night flights may very well cause net job losses, will damage the health of residents, affect our children's academic potential and destroy the value of the homes we have worked so hard to afford.

It is for these reasons that I am opposed to the granting of scheduled night flights at KIA and demand that if the consultation returns a no majority that TDC not only refuse Infratil's proposal but any attempt by Infratil to proceed with scheduled night flights against the residents of Thanet’s wishes be challenged by any and all means.

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You say (33)

#Manston #nightflights

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I would like to say I am AGAINST night flights during the hours proposed between 11pm and 7am over Thanet.

We have a successful hotel with a strong customer base. Guests come for the peace and quiet of the seaside, an important part of a good vacation, includes being able NOT to be disturbed during these hours.

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I wish to declare that I am totally AGAINST any night flights between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am at Manston airport.

NOISE:

The noise projected from these over-sized planes is horrendous and is completely underestimated by the airport authorities and their advisers. QC 2 is VERY LOUD and will always wake everyone up, whilst QC 4 is UNBEARABLE and is not allowed at other airports during the night.

This country benefits from noise abatement between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am. Loud parties, music, car horns, sirens, shouting or drunken behaviour are not allowed by law. Why should air flights be the exception?

SAFETY:

I believe the planes fly too low over the houses at all times. New flight paths should be developed before there is a major accident. Remember the Concorde in Paris and many other crashes onto houses around the world.

HEALTH:

It has been proved that the disturbance of sleep by noise is detrimental to the health of both humans and other animals.

POLLUTION:

There was a time when doctors sent sick people from London and elsewhere to Ramsgate where the air and sea were considered to improve their convalescence. Now it appears the councillors wish to bring to Ramsgate people from around the world to pollute the atmosphere to the best of their abilities. Our plants are covered with aviation fuel and the water in our bird baths turns red.

JOBS etc:

Manston will never provide the jobs or numbers of passengers as described in their documents.

FORGOTTEN TOWN:

I implore the councils and the government not to turn Ramsgate into a forgotten, worthless town where good quality of life, sleep and environment are of no concern to them. Ramsgate has a history of holiday making and healthy living with a splendid Royal Harbour, beaches and architecture, which should be promoted instead of the airport.

COUNCIL ACTION:

I am appalled that our elected councillors have thrown in the towel and admitted that there is nothing they can do to rectify the mistake of the 106 agreement that clearly allows unlimited night flights.

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I wish to state that I AM TOTALLY OPPOSED to night flights in and out of Manston between 11:00pm and 7:00am.

The noise from night-time flights would undoubtedly be very disturbing and many of the population of Thanet will be badly affected. Sleep deprivation is widely accepted as a major factor in health problems such as, depression, aggressive behaviour, hypertension and attention deficit in people of all ages, which in turn may have serious consequences.

I and my family lived in Stevenage for 10 years from 1972 and have firsthand experience of the detrimental effects of disrupted sleep patterns. Our home was 3 miles off the flight path into Luton airport. Most of the air traffic at that time was extremely noisy holiday charter flights. From around 1978 the number of flights increased rapidly. Frequently, many holiday flights in and out of Luton were delayed resulting in landings through-out the night. Nights with little or no sleep for the entire family were quite common. We became so fed up with it, I quit my job as a software engineer with ICL, sold our house for much less than it would have been valued elsewhere and moved out. Many of my work colleagues did the same. We have never been back.

In recent years the commercial aircraft fleets are getting noisier as larger types come into service. There is little prospect of aircraft getting quieter, in part because even larger aircraft are in the pipeline and because engine technology has pretty well ceased to progress. The aviation industry always claims quieter engines while forgetting that half of the movements are arrivals where airframe noise is crucial and nothing has changed significantly for tens of years

In my opinion the introduction of night flights at Manston would have a negative effect on the regeneration of Ramsgate and other parts of Thanet . I am not convinced by the exaggerated claims by Infratil of the economic benefits and job creation in the region. Independent economic experts are of the same opinion.

With increasing competition between airlines the trend is to adopt the low cost model resulting in a FALL in airport employment. What is not so generally realised is that there is a parallel move to ‘low cost airports’ with tickets bought on the internet; check-in done electronically, and baggage handling increasingly automated, so that the same number of airport staff can handle far more passengers. Heathrow Terminal 5 was designed as a self-service terminal - with as many as nine out of ten passengers having no need to contact members of staff until they reach boarding gates. The future may see a move to an even more simplified type of airport. Baggage will be checked-in at the car park, passengers will go straight to the gate room with the security checks carried out just before boarding. That is the Ryanair and “Sqeezy-Jet” model.

Like ‘sex’, the word ‘jobs’ makes an excellent media headline: short, sharp and emotive. With the current recession, when thousands are losing their jobs and millions fear that they may do so, any promise of more jobs is bound to be enthusiastically received. Thus the suggestion by Infratil that an expanded airport will create more jobs is a sure way to attract support from the public and a fair wind from the politicians and planners. Yet because they have a commercial interest in magnifying the number of new jobs, their figures need careful examination. False hopes can prove a cruel hoax.

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You say... what you think

As you probably know by now, Thanet District Council have launched their public consultation (or mini-consultation, perhaps). It ends on Friday March 2nd, so if you haven't already told them what you think about Manston's night flights proposal, it's time to get typing or scribbling.

Do bear in mind that, regardless of what you may read in the press, this proposal isn't asking for 2 flights a night, or 8 flights a night... it's asking for unlimited night flights.

We've put together a handy little guide to the consultation which you can find HERE, and you can see all the background documents HERE.

Hundreds of people have already sent their contributions to the consultation, and some of them have been kind enough to send us copies to share with you on this site. You'll find a string of posts called "You say..." which each contain three or four contributions. Do dip in and have a read - they're all good, and some are great.

You say (32)

#Manston #nightflights

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To whom it may concern

I am opposed to the night flights for the following reasons:

1. It will affect the value of my property as planes fly directly over my property and allowing night flights now means this will happen over a 24hr period.

2. The noise already is unacceptable and I feel we have the right to sleep in peace without planes waking us up

3. I feel it will have an adverse effect on the tourism industry in Ramsgate

4. I do not feel there are enough job opportunities versus the potential impact on tourism

5. Night flights will become popular with existing day flights at Manston Airport

6. Every time Manston launch a proposal it effects the sales of properties

I do however want the council to listen to the public who live in the affected areas and allow them a democratic say in what happens in the area that, they live and have invested significant amounts of money and time.

A decision needs to be made and it needs to be binding, without allowing Manston Airport the opportunity to challenge the voice of the people continually.

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Do we want to encourage visitors to come to Ramsgate, stay in our hotels, spend money in restaurants and cafes, and shop in our High Street? The answer would appear to be "Yes", when you consider, for example, the Royal Sands development at Marina Esplanade, which will provide a prestigious hotel and over one hundred apartments. However, with 8 flights a night, between the hours of 11.30 p.m and 6.00 a.m., a guest may spend one sleepless night in the hotel, never to return, and the apartments will remain unsold, once prospective buyers realize that they will never get a good night's sleep. The flight path goes directly over this development.

I am not averse to the expansion of Manston airport between the hours of 7.00 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. if it will indeed help regenerate the area and create many new jobs. However, do consider the number of jobs which will be lost in hotels and restaurants if visitors decide against holidaying in Ramsgate when they realise they will not get a decent night's sleep.

Equally important are the long-term residents, who purchased homes on the coast in the hope and belief they would live peaceful and healthy lives, and who now face a future of nights disturbed by aircraft noise and pollution. Similarly, how are residents expected to do a proper day’s work, after a disrupted night’s sleep? I understand that, under the European Convention on Human Rights, citizens are entitled to the "right to sleep", and compensation can and will be claimed.

Night flights at Manston will ruin Ramsgate as a holiday destination, despite its fabulous beaches, dramatic sea views from the two cliffs, and its lively and picturesque harbour. Many anticipated economic advantages will be wiped out.

Please say "No" to night flights.

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I live beneath the flight path for flights in to and out of Manston and I am AGAINST the night flights.

These flights are incredibly noisy as they are flying at very low levels during the day and I hate to think what the noise level will be during the night. I am usually a good sleeper but if I am woken during the night I find it extremely difficult to get back to sleep.

The noise levels during the day seems to upset the local dogs and sets them off barking, which is another factor for disturbed sleep.

I am also concerned about the vibrations that this air traffic causes to the fabrication of the housing.

I moved to Herne Bay two and a half years ago and was delighted with the peace and tranquillity of such a lovely quiet coastal leisure town. The peace will be shattered if these night flights go ahead and I have a feeling buyers will not be queuing outside my door to buy a house on this flight path.

I am AGAINST the night flights.

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I live at Beltinge, Herne Bay - under the Manston western flight path - and  I am totally opposed to the proposals by Infratil to introduce regular  night time flying at Manston Airport.

I believe that this whole matter of the development of Manston night  flights, including planning issues, legal aspects and consultation about  future proposals, has been extremely badly handled by Thanet District  Council and it officers - all of whom I feel have been naively taken in or  otherwise encouraged in some way by the assertions, inducements and  representations that have been made by Infratil and the misleading and  inaccurate information that they and their so-called experts have  provided.

At the same time, our local MP Roger Gale, who I understand himself once expressed his strong opposition to regular night flights, has also been persuaded to change his mind. This is not surprising at all since I know from previous personal experience that he cannot be relied upon to support the local community who elected him - i.e. the man or woman in the street. He will tell you one thing face to face at your door and give you assurances - but then let you down badly later. I will never vote for him again.

At Beltinge in Herne Bay we do get daytime flights on a fairly regular basis in the sky above our homes and, in the main, they do not unduly bother us - although it has to be said that a handful of flights over the past couple of years have been extremely low and extremely noisy. If this was to be repeated on a regular basis throughout every night the situation would be intolerable.

There have also been some aircraft passing over in the early hours of the night and they certainly do wake you up and interrupt your sleep. Again, if this was to happen every night, throughout the night, on a regular basis, then the health of thousands of people would be badly affected.

I believe that it is my human right to enjoy a sound night's sleep and a good healthy quality of life. It is also my human right NOT to be repeatedly woken during the night for years to come by huge, old, noisy, polluting and low flying cargo planes that could just as easily be handled at Manston during the many existing vacant daytime slots.

For these reasons, and many others such as wildly misleading passenger and employment projections by Infratil and their recent stated intention to undertake numerous night flights associated with the forthcoming Olympics, and the fact that night flights are not permitted at other airports, I wish to record my total opposition to the proposal to allow regular night flights at Manston.

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I would like to make it known that I am against Night flights to and from Manston Airport. I have lived in Ramsgate since I was four and my roots are very much in this area. I am, however, employed in London and work long hours and bring that wage back into Thanet, where I do the majority of my shopping in socialising.

My continued employment depends on my performance and my performance depends on a good nights' sleep. I am sure I am not alone in this - I am certainly not alone on the train first thing in the morning.  

I am sure that we would all welcome more employment into the area but any new jobs will, for the large part, be of the lower paid sort, as is the nature of employment in any organisation, and as such will not raise the average weekly pay of the area. It is unlikely that every single vacancy will be filled by a Thanet resident in any case.

Staff for more highly paid skilled roles will be recruited from whatever area can supply them, and as the Gazette pointed out on 24/2/12 there is already a dearth of skilled workers in the area, and so we can only expect that external workers will be drafted in should such vacancies arise. Workers who are not tired after having their night's sleep disturbed. After all who wants a bleary eyed air traffic controller in the tower?

The airport newsletter suggests that the Manston will bring holidaymakers into the area and enrich it, but also states that the airport is a prime driver in a potential reduction in rail travel time to London - to enable the said tourists to pass through the area in as short a time as possible, spending as a little as possible on the way.

The newsletter also suggests night flights are required for importing fresh produce so that it can be passed to supermarkets for stocking their shelves in the morning. There are plenty of 24 hour supermarkets for whom all hours (bar Sunday) are pretty much of a muchness. Besides which, we live in an agricultural region, and should be working towards reducing food miles and increasing use of the excellent produce our area grows in every season, and supporting the local enterprises that already employ local people.

This all said, and should common sense not prevail and the Airport is given permission to proceed, I would suggest that the council not accede without imposing rules to protect the welfare of its residents. For example a maximum number of flights a night rather than an average, if the airport sales staff fail to fill a slot they should lose it rather than negatively impact the lives of Thanet residents and tax payers if they later found themselves with more takers than slots.

These should be backed up by clearly documented and easily imposed penalties to be invoked, should those rules be breached.

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You say (31)

#Manston #nightflights

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As supposed intelligent human beings how you can see any positives to this selfish proposal is beyond me. The highly negative effect this will have on the local towns and villages and the day to day lives of local people and their businesses will be disastrous.

Not only will people not be able to sleep, as the decibels have already been proven to be over the legal limit but people businesses will fail and house prices will dramatically drop bringing this area down. Tourists will not visit this area which will mean less money is being bought to up and coming areas like Margate and Ramsgate.

What are you thinking you selfish, money hungry, life ruining group of people!! Forget about yourselves for once and start seeing the bigger picture that you are ruining thousands of people's lives!!

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I write to say that I am against the proposed extension of night flights at Manston between 11 pm and 7 am.

I am unconvinced that new (scheduled) night flights will have any impact on unemployment figures. And I am convinced that the proposal seriously underestimates the amount of noise and nuisance these flights would cause. I live in Vale Square right under the flight path and know perfectly well how low these planes fly even in daylight. It's certainly low and loud enough for one to be able to see how shabby and polluting many of these aeroplanes are. Frankly it's often terrifying to find yourself beneath them. How long before some long-haul pilot misjudges and ploughs into some of the houses on the way into Manston?

I have lived also in Athens right next to the old Ellinikon airport where it was impossible to hold a conversation while the planes came and went. It was a byword locally for urban blight - but I can assure you that the noise level is no less here than it was there. What is different is that the planes here are largely landing whereas in Athens they were chiefly taking off; and there were many more planes at Athens - though I would point out that they were not allowed to fly by night.

It's precisely those 'many more planes' which I am anxious to avoid in Thanet. The gains to local inhabitants seem to me negligible. It is conceivable that a massive increase of airfreight at Manston might lead to a few very low-paid and possibly temporary jobs locally. But should we be prepared to throw away our chances of sleep in return for this very dubious and debatable gain?  

Manston has plenty of spare capacity in the daylight hours. Where are the airlines which are queuing up to use it? It's hard not to think that this bid for might-time traffic is a means of Manston entering the bargain-basement of air traffic.  

Well if they want to do that it's their choice. But should we let them do this to our town and our island?

I think not - and I think the Council should be taking the same view.

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To whom it may concern:

I wish to express my opposition to the proposals for night flights between 11pm and 7am at Manston Airport.

The 'facts' bandied about by Infratil that night flights will create employment is just a fallacy. With the aviation industry being more and more automated, only a handful of jobs would be created. Indeed Infratil itself recently admitted that even if they doubled the amount of freight handled and increased passengers numbers to 750.000 per year, a grand total of 23 jobs would be created.

Personally I think that those 23 jobs would be negated by the loss of jobs in the local tourist industry.

At the present moment they is plenty of daytime capacity at Manston. Let Infratil use this existing capacity rather than disturbing Thanet's sleep.

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I am totally against the Manston night flight proposal. just on the basis of my own sleep disturbance alone I would object strongly, but there are other very serious reasons for my opposition. they are...

- the scientifically proven detriment to an individual’s health by broken/disturbed sleep caused by noise, this is particularly annoying to me as a father of two young children....never mind the consequences to my wife and I of dealing with woken children every night!

- the danger of old freight planes flying over my house which is on the flight path, particularly more dangerous when the planes pass over whilst we sleep in our beds!

- the pollution created by these old aircraft

- the damage inflicted on the local tourism industry by the noise, pollution and disturbance of these proposed flights. tourism is very important in this area and in Thanet.

- the argument by Manston that this proposal would create jobs (which has been revealed as exaggerated anyway) is flawed because the flight disturbances would probably eliminate as many (or possibly even more) jobs in the local tourism industry!...and anyway, the idea that employment figures are a valid reason to promote one area of economic growth over another is plainly stupid. I can't imagine many local hotel operators or cafe owners being happy to unload freight in the small hours on minimum wage! GET REAL!!

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I am writing to emphasize that I am strongly opposed to flights in and out of Manston Airport between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am.

I live in Minster, practically on top of the airport and directly under the path of incoming flights. In particular, the freight aircraft noise level during the day is very loud and causes the property I live in to shake from the engine reverberations. To be woken by flights landing during the night would be unbearable, and unnecessary because Manston has plenty of unused capacity throughout the daytime - why is it essential to deprive local residents of valuable sleep? Having read the proposal thoroughly, I truly feel that the ends to do not justify the means; currently night flights are banned and this should remain so.

I hope my alarm at this proposal is clearly understood and by no means understated.

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I believe that the Council should, on balance, refuse to allow night flights a Manston.

I am also strongly against the insidious proposed rule change, allowing in "late" flights and making night start later and finish earlier.

Key points:

•    There is an economic case for night flights but mainly in terms of company profitability - the people of Thanet will not get much out of this. Manston is and, despite the arguments of the applicant, is likely to remain only a minor direct employer in Thanet.

•    The adverse environmental effects from allowing the application are significant: they can be shown to engage the Convention rights of thousands of people. Whilst it may be permissible to interfere with such rights for compelling and genuinely international or national reasons (Heathrow, for example) that is not the case here. The impact on human rights cannot be justified by business expansion of a second order regional freight facility .

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Dear Sir/Madam

AGAINST NIGHT FLIGHTS

We are writing to object to the current proposal for scheduled night flights at Manston Airport.

Frequency of Flights

The current proposal is for freight and not passenger flights, and many of the old freighters used are both noisy and polluting. The current proposal suggests reducing the period of night time flying from 11:30 to 6:00 am rather than the normal ‘night’ from 11:00 to 7:00 am. The implication is that there will be no restrictions on the periods 6-7 am or 11-11:30 pm. Manston have requested 659 flights per year on this ‘shorter night’ which would amount to an average of 1.8 movements per night. However, in practice this could mean that there could be none on Monday or /Tuesday but five on a Wednesday. This would mean considerable disturbance on certain nights of the week.

Health and Noise

Scheduled night flights are currently banned, but the airport is allowed to handle late arrivals. The noise of these has been sufficient on occasion to wake members of our family from sleep and it can then take considerable time to return to sleep from full wakefulness. If the proposal for scheduled night flights is accepted those under the flight path would go to sleep knowing that they could be woken up twice in the small hours, or even potentially more than this. Independent research has shown that disturbed sleep has an adverse effect on health. It is a matter of concern that the quality of life currently enjoyed by many could be considerably reduced and the health of those under the flight path affected. It is clear that those with existing conditions of ill health, and children and the elderly would be particularly at risk. It is known that the learning capacity of children and the working efficiency of adults are both affected by tiredness. On a more personal note, I am a teacher and my work has been and would be affected by lack of sleep due to aircraft noise. There would also be greater risk of accidents at home, at work and on the roads. Tiredness can kill. The European Court of Human Rights states that sleep is a human right.

The Report commissioned by TDC states that:

the proposal for scheduled night flights will not necessarily generate more jobs and that the economic benefit to the local community has been exaggerated. Indeed, after 11 years, Manston only employs 110 people, not all of whom are full time and only 66% of these live in Thanet. In addition, due to current levels of automation in the aviation industry, it has been estimated that just 20% more employees could handle twice the current volume of UK air traffic. In fact Manston have admitted that if they doubled the amount of freight they handle and increased passengers carried from 30,000 to 750,000 they would merely create 23 new jobs.

The commissioned report also noted that the noise levels have been underestimated. The key factor is that if the noise generated causes a sleeper to wake it is too loud.

The Potential for Economic Expansion

It is of course desirable that the area undergo economic expansion and the most obvious asset is tourism. Ramsgate’s harbour area represents a very attractive asset for the tourist trade, but who would wish to holiday in a resort where regular night flights could disrupt a good night’s sleep and where the air is polluted with aviation fuel residue?

Property Prices

Not only would the quality of life of those under the flight path be affected but property prices would also be adversely affected, and the fabric of buildings damaged by noise vibration.

Lack of Sanctions

If the proposal were accepted and the airport operators chose to break the limits for night flights there appear to be no penalties or fines that could be implemented.

Current Capacity

There is plenty of spare capacity in the current provision for daytime flights.

Like many others we are seriously concerned that due to the reasons above our current quality of life and he economic potential of Ramsgate will be adversely affected and trust that you will give these matters due consideration.

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You say (30)

#Manston #nightflights

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I am AGAINST night flights from Manston airport.

Reasons

Living on the Nethercourt estate we bear the brunt of flights to and from the airport. The noise is so loud that we are afraid the planes will hit the roof of our house and is very frightening. We are woken up every time and it is difficult to get back to sleep again. If this happens as a regular event several times a night our health and well being will deteriorate rapidly, as has been proved medically

The more flights there are, there is more damage to the structure of the house and roof.

It causes animals to become traumatised at night by loud noises, I have even seen foxes and birds frightened at night.

It would be far better to develop the tourist trade of the area which will provide more jobs than the airport will.

We are too far east of Britain to make it a suitable area for a large airport the distances are too great for travel to the rest of the UK.

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Dear Sirs,

I am emailing to notify my strong opposition to the Manston night flight proposals. I and my family are living in Herne Bay immediately beneath the inbound flight path for aircraft approaching Manston from the East, and have for many years suffered the noise, pollution and danger created by the old aircraft used.

Time after time in recent years Manston has shown itself to be a bad neighbour – insisting on always bringing aircraft in low flying over the heavily populated North Kent coastal strip, often at already unsocial times, and also seeming to allow patched up old bangers from the repair shops there to do endless test circuits over our heads.

Why incoming planes have to follow a flight path low over Herne Bay is beyond me – immediately to the north of Herne Bay is the sea, to the south relatively open countryside. The only explanation I’ve ever been given is that the airport doesn’t have proper radar/instrument landing systems due to cost – and this just about sums up the whole operation.

Tens of thousands of people in Whitstable, Herne Bay and Thanet will have their quality of life ruined by this airport if night flights are allowed – for what seems to be a pitiful commercial gain. We have a right to a decent night’s sleep – and I understand this is the stated view of the European Court of Human Rights.

It is time to accept the fact that this airport is in the wrong place and a commercial no hoper. Thanet and this area of Kent has a long tradition of providing leisure, pleasure and holidays to the region and capital city. What would create far more wealth and employment for the area would be an Alton Towers style theme park on the airport site – this would rejuvenate the area, provide a great local amenity, get rid of the planes once and for all, fill the council’s coffers with cash, and provide decent employment for those already working at Manston plus many others besides.

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Dear Sir

I live under the flight path to Manston, and as such I am against any increase in traffic especially at night.

I cannot hear my own television when the planes fly over, even with double glazing, and the noise is only endurable because there is a time during the twenty four hours when we have respite. This is important for us, I am retired, but my son and daughter have demanding full time jobs and need a decent night’s sleep in order to perform their duties properly.

I do not believe that any increase in traffic would bring a huge increase in prosperity to the area. There is no way of ensuring that any jobs that are created are filled only by people from Thanet, or that money made by people working at the airport would be spent here.

There are a large number of Thanet residents, who already bring money into the local area and spend it at local businesses, will see no benefit from this expansion, but whose quality of life would be immensely adversely affected. I consider myself to be one of these and so, I reiterate, I am against any increase at all in the permitted air traffic at Manston.

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On behalf of my family I am totally against the proposals being considered by the Council and make the following observations.

You state that you will take particular notice of those who contribute to this consultation that are “living under the identified flight path”, but the problem that I have always had since moving to Herne Bay 10 years ago, is that the incoming aircraft never keep to a defined route. The path given to me by the previous owners showed it to be starting over the sea off Whitstable, passing the end of Hampton Pier and crossing over land by the Pier. I live south of this line and constantly have flights over my house. I have even seen cargo planes coming from the south over Herne village and turning towards the airport. So this is the first issue – the airport does not seem able to control the routes taken by aircraft and therefore the possible area of disturbance by night flights is considerable larger than just near to “the identified flight path”.....whatever that is.

Manston is not a busy airport during the day and therefore it must be possible to organise slots for the proposed night time cargo flight during the day.

There are a number of false assumptions in Infratil’s submission regarding increased employment, disturbance and the noise from night flights. Most of these have been addressed in the Council’s independent report and therefore it does not need me to comment on them, except to wonder why the company attempted to mislead in these areas. Could it be that if they obtained this proposal it would give them a more saleable asset?

If granted it would become a gateway to unlimited aircraft movements between 11pm and 7am as there is no control with fines or penalties for breaches.

This area does not need this type of development which would cause disturbed sleep to large numbers of residents, reduce the popularity of the area from tourists, do nothing for the local economy and destroy all the efforts that have, and are, been made to improve the communities in Thanet and Herne Bay.

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Dear Mr Hart,

I have lived in Ramsgate since the 1970’s when the whole of the seafront was totally derelict, there was no protection for the historic buildings in what are now conservation areas, the town must have been at its lowest point and there seemed little hope of any improvement. Although many people do not realize it we are now living in a completely different environment, the whole of the seafront, once a string of empty, boarded up buildings is now buzzing with a string of restaurants and bars, all employing local people. There is also a steady stream of incomers, attracted by area, moving in and spending time and money on their new homes.

This upsurge has been mainly a “grass roots” movement over a period of time instigated by people who were not prepared to let their beautiful town fall into a state of decay. To allow Night Flights, with all the detrimental consequences, including the devaluation of properties under the flight path, would betray all their efforts and derail this still fragile revival of the town.

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I AM AGAINST INFRATIL'S PROPOSAL FOR NIGHT FLIGHTS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

1. For every development favoured by Thanet District Council, the public are duped into acceptance by the assurance of jobs, which never materialise in anything like the number promised. This proposal is no different, particularly when the public are aware of the number of jobs created at other airports. "Plane Speaking" tells us that there are currently 240 employees at Manston and yet they suggest that over 2,000 people would be employed "in operating and supplying the airport" with a "further 1,000 jobs supported in the wider economy". My question is, how many of the 2,000 people "operating and supplying" are actually in the wider community and will there be an additional 1,000 jobs there?

2. The forecasted passenger numbers are unrealistic. Thanet is surrounded by sea on three sides and, therefore, the catchment area is very small. Added to this, anyone who lives within an hour's drive of Manston is also within an hour or less of reaching Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton. Considering the endless choices of venues offered at London's airports, Manston cannot possibly compete. Speedy access and Customs arrival procedures are insufficient enticement if only a few destinations are available.

3. Long distance destinations will never be available. A fully laden 747, for example, will never be allowed (by CAA) to take off from Manston as there is not enough length of runway to abort a takeoff. This is verified by the fairly recent flight, carrying horses, that gouged a chunk out of the grass after running off the runway, because it was overloaded (where were the checks?) and was unable to abort. This could have become a disaster. Any long haul flights could only take off with limited fuel and would need to refuel at another UK airport. It is unlikely that appropriate slots could be accommodated.

4. There are very few flights during the day in and out of Manston. If there is insufficient business to fill daytime slots, why are night flights required? "Plane Speaking" says "Manston must be able to complete with other airports in terms of the times it can handle flights." I can only assume Infratil are unaware of the anger in London about Heathrow's flights. See this website: http://www.hacan.org.uk/resources/reports/hacan.night_flight_booklet.pdf. Perhaps they consider there are less people in Thanet than London and they can override our concerns.

5. All aircraft sound noisier at night, simply due to the lack of other noise. Perhaps, if permission for night flights is granted, a condition could be imposed that residents likely to be affected should be provided with sound insulation, such as was provided for Cliffsend residents when the Hoverport was built. "Plane Speaking" mentions an insulation programme, but I have not seen any details.

6. Many of us are aware that, under CAA regulations, cargo aircraft are allowed several major "faults" that are not allowed on passenger aircraft. Whenever residents of Thanet villages complain about being over flown, they are reminded that it is the Captain's prerogative to detour from the recommended flight path, although Thanet skies are far from crowded and there should be no reason for this except for speed or economy, which are purely personal (and selfish) requirements. If Manston ATC has no control over the aircraft that take off, it seems that night flights could lead to a free-for-all to our detriment.

7. I had no confidence in the previous TDC administration, having been once assured that aircraft landing are quieter than those taking off. When I pointed out that they need to use reverse thrust I was assured that this would not be necessary because "they have brakes"! I hope the new administration have more sense. I note that "Plane Speaking" states that "aircraft such as the current DC8s will not be allowed to take off during this period". Am I being overly suspicious in wondering why landings are not mentioned?

8. Infratil have stated, as has been mistakenly quoted in the past, that "Manston has one of the longest under-used runways in the country". This is ambiguous, because they are trying to make the previously-made erroneous proclamation that Manston has one of the longest runways in the UK. This is simply not true. Anyone can access this information on-line and the length of Manston's runway comes 11th nationally and 8th in commercial, passenger airfields.

9. I am afraid this is my personal feeling of affront when Infratil state "Manston is challenging the consultant's conclusions that we have underestimated the potential adverse noise impacts" because I find this statement particularly arrogant.

10. I am sorry to say this, but what I am hearing from other Thanet residents is the suspicion, taking into account Infratil's performance throughout the world, that they want an agreement for night flights in order to create a viable business that they can sell on. If this should be the case and if it should happen, one can only imagine the mayhem that would ensue. Not to mention the horror of yet someone else walking away from Thanet with pockets-full of our money, that has been the case many times in the past.

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You say (29)

#Manston #nightflights

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Dear Sirs,

I do not want the night flights proposal to be approved.

I live in Ramsgate and I’m very keen for the town to prosper but think that night flights will be very detrimental to this for the following reasons.

The town’s history and future is as a tourist resort and night flights will be very detrimental to this. I think there are very tourists who would be happy to have their sleep spoiled or their restaurant meals disturbed during their visit because of the noise these night flights will make.

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I am opposed to the proposal that Manston should be allowed to operate night flights between 11.00pm and 7.00pm.

I live directly under the flight path - by the time the planes are over my house I can virtually count the rivets on the undercarriages. The recent increase in night flying during the second half of 2011 has had a deleterious effect on our sleep. On one occasion my 14 year old son was awoken at 3.30am approx. and said "I thought a bomb had gone off!" Imagine how frightening this must be for smaller children.

Other protestors will probably have highlighted the statistics about poor educational performance by children living under flight paths with night flights: with a son doing A-levels this summer and a younger son in the middle of his education, I am naturally concerned.

The health problems connected with night flights are another concern: I have high blood pressure - and a family history of stroke - so I'm not crazy about night flights for that reason. None of us are going to live forever, but do we deserve to have the length and quality of our lives ruined simply to benefit the shareholders of a New Zealand based transport company which (in buying Manston) made a poor investment?

There is something particularly pernicious about being awoken in the early hours of the morning: having already slept a bit, one's body is often not ready to go back to sleep again - so you lie awake - and worry. Elderly people and those with sleep problems will be particularly affected.

If these are freight flights there is no necessity for them to come in at night. It is not as though Manston is incredibly busy during the day. Some weeks there are hardly any flights at all, day or night.

I am unimpressed by the arguments that the flights are necessary for the airport to expand. Maybe if there were a busy passenger transport business being conducted there, they might have a slight (very, very slight) argument for the occasional night flight. However, as we all know, Manston managed to pass through the peak of cheap passenger flights during the 90's and 2000's without managing to attract a successful cheap flight business to its facilities.

When David Foley of the Chamber of Commerce say that "good transport links" will make Thanet more economically viable, he fails to realise that there needs to be demand for good transport to be provided: suggesting we somehow beef up the airport is putting the cart before the horse. He is an intelligent man, and his support for night flights seems rather disingenuous (or maybe he has shares in Infratil). We already have an excellent rail service - there is virtually no demand from Thanet's businesses for air freight - unless Hornby are flying in their toys from China (are they?).

After some years as a financial journalist, I know that what employers look for above all is a skilled and flexible workforce - once we can provide that, we might then have the industry to require these improved transport links. Employers don't move here because our population is low skilled and poorly educated on the whole, sadly, not because of the lack of night flights at the local airport.

The fact is, Thanet is blessed by its geography - sufficiently distant from London to be a nice place to "get away" to, it should be building on weekend break tourism, hospitality, renewable energy generation, some light industry, agriculture and fishing. None of these really require an airport. We are surrounded largely by water and cabbages and do not have the population numbers to require an airport.

I am concerned not just about the night flights - but about the airport safety generally, I understand that it does not have a proper safety zone - since the exclusion area actually includes an enormous amount of housing and 5+ primary and infant schools (Chilton, St, Laurence, Ellington, Newington Infant and Junior, Christ Church). Some of these freight planes are old crocks, and since we have lived here (9 years) at least 2 of the operators using Manston have been banned from operating in the EU.

I bought my house in full knowledge of the airport - but the house I live in was built a long time before the airport. I am sure people were patriotically happy to support the RAF having an emergency runway at Manston during the war, just as nowadays we don't object to emergency flights to disaster areas leaving Manston, but this airport with or without night flights is totally unsuitable for Thanet, and we certainly don't want night flights.

I do hope you will take notice of this email - which is written from beneath the flight path - and give my opinions the extra weight Clive Hart promised those of us directly affected should have.

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Dear sirs

I read with interest the work of fiction "plane speaking" that arrived in my post, in reply I would like to offer my opinion.

1. Night flights will make little or no difference to the employment situation in Thanet.

2. It will not make it a more pleasant place to live.

3. It will add noise and pollution to a once famous holiday area, still with exceptional beaches and countryside.

I have not read or heard of one credible argument why "night flights" should be allowed at an underutilised airport, your "public propaganda news letter" did nothing to change my opinion.

No mention of Manston by the government in the additional airport needs for the south of this country. When a new airport is constructed there will be absolutely no need to expand Manston just to close it.

Night flight will do Nothing apart from harm to Thanet. No additional high speed rail links, No improved road access and no extra employment for the area will take place because of night flights this is a complete "red herring".

In conclusion I agree this has proposal has been hanging around far too long and should be consigned to the "not viable* file at once. Come on Thanet Council do your job and represent the people of Thanet.

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Dear Sir,

I am against the proposed night flights at Manston for the following reasons:

1. Having just a couple a week would be a couple too many, because they would breed a whole lot more.

2. It would lead to an expansion of the airport, with subsequent loss of prime agricultural land and wildlife habitats.

3. Noise always sounds louder at night.

4. Light sleepers have as much right to a decent night's sleep as anyone else.

5. Anyone suffering from disturbed sleep will perform less well at work or at school.

6. It would create more air pollution.

7. It would increase our carbon footprint and exacerbate global warming when we are supposed to be reducing it.

8. It would encourage further unnecessary air travel.

9. Manston is in the wrong location for night flights, and would present the risk of a crash into nearby residential areas.

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You say (28)

#Manston #nightflights

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We are against the proposal to allow night flights from Manston Airport as it will disturb our sleep. We occasionally hear aircraft at night as it is and are dreading a time when this may become a regular occurrence. I have a disabling illness and do not need any extra stress.

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Dear Sirs,

I am writing to voice my opposition to night flights (between 11pm and 7am) to and from Manston. I live under the approach from the west in Herne Bay.

The first house I owned was on a busy street in Northfleet which was, like most roads, quiet at night. At about between 5-6 am traffic started moving so it was impossible to get good quality sleep after this disturbance started. It wasn't until I moved to a quieter location that I realised I was getting better and longer sleep and how much better I felt as a result. Presumably my health would have suffered had I remained at Northfleet. With this in mind, I know I have had firsthand experience of having noise disturbed sleep, and allowing night flights would cause disturbed sleep to many with the resulting reduction in health and quality of life for them.

I have heard of an offer that some houses will be insulated against the noise - but many sleep with windows open for a lot of the year and in summer it will be unbearable so I don't believe there is any truly effective form of insulation available.

I am broadly in favour of expanding the operations at Manston for people to enjoy the economic benefits that it will bring. I also understand the argument that an airline may be tempted to operate from Manston if planes can land after 11pm if they are genuinely late, but I have not heard any talk about defining what "Genuine" means and how it could be enforced, so I believe with the way things are at present, any relaxation of times would be abused.  

I mainly believe the deterioration of the quality of life that many will suffer if night flights are allowed, is not acceptable and this health consideration should not take second place to the economics argument.

I hope my comments help in obtaining a correct decision for the future of Manston

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I am against Manston Night Flights. I am against night flights because I am 12 twelve years old and I need my sleep. I have been woken before by night flights, my Dad has complained lots because when I am tired I don't want to go to school.

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I have been complaining over a number of years about being woken at night by flights from Manston and the distress it causes in my household. When awoken at night all members of my family have not just their sleep ruined but the following days disrupted due to being tired. The level of noise is so excessive I have resorted to sending emails to successive council leaders resulting in a noise monitor recently being situated on my roof. The readings from this expose the airport for the misinformation they put out about the level of suffering residents will be exposed to. What I find particularly shocking is that the airports proposals are based on assumptions rather than factual evidence i.e. 3:30am flight and 4:30 flight both recorded at 100+db by the council - the airport’s noise maps do not reflect this.

The council is aware the noise levels are so high that they are damaging to the health and well being of those exposed to it. To permit this would be wilful negligence by the council.

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Manston night flights – the way I see it !!

I would like to add my name to the ‘No night flights from Manston’ list. Infratil seem intent on wrecking my quality of life and my right to a good night’s sleep which they take for granted. Obviously sleep for others is to be a luxury and is less important than profits. Nothing is offered in return other than a pipe dream of additional jobs to local residents hungry for employment and who would agree to anything. They do guarantee however, screaming jet engines at regular intervals, at night, while many try to sleep. How many mythical jobs justifies total indifference to so many, including children who have to cope with school next day with little sleep. Why should we have such pressure to agree to night freight that other airports don’t want and for the same reasons. Open a factory or two, less noise and many jobs, all pluses no minuses.

When I considered moving to Ramsgate, Manston was basically an RAF base but as we were not at war aircraft noise, especially at night, was not a problem so I moved in. My calculated decision was sound but I admit I did not look 25 years ahead and the possibility of commercial flights. It’ easy to be wise later.

My decision at the time seems to equate to Infratil deciding to buy Manston without permission for night flights already in place. This seems a little short sighted unless they assumed that getting permission would be just a formality as the locals are desperate for promises of jobs.

The same decision no doubt was made by other Thanet residents before buying their houses. ‘It’s not near the airport so I’ll buy it’ I hear them say. Have they looked into the future? Will someone want to open a disco next door next year? Or perhaps build a Supermarket or sink a mine shaft? Of course not, anyway they would object strongly and would win the day, no doubt about it. Of course if I was invited to give an opinion I could say ‘let these new projects go ahead, it will create jobs, benefit the local economy and doesn’t affect my way of life’. ‘They should have realised these things could happen in the future’. Still no worries, these ideas are not reality so no problems sleeping for them.

Jobs cannot be guaranteed but what is guaranteed is the ruin of many thousands of lives for profit. What jobs there may be in the future’ is nothing but a dream but a dream that many ‘not directly affected’ are happy to welcome. If however there was a guarantee of 1000 jobs to compensate for the noise, I may not like it but at least I could see there would be much to gain to offset the losses. A ‘yes’ decision means Infratil gains all round but many local residents lose. A ‘no’ decision means nobody loses as you can’t lose what you haven’t got. ‘Yes’ decisions won’t be reversible for any reason.

I assume only deaf people should buy the houses on the flight path as otherwise such houses seem pretty useless and should be demolished making way for a blissful airport of tomorrow. Perhaps the council could compulsory purchase all affected houses on the flight path with a view to further expansion?

Finally if it did go ahead and did employ lots of people as promised it could affect the cost of local ‘cheap labour’ for other business men and force labour costs up. Something to think about.

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You say (27)

#Manston #nightflights

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Dear Sir/ Madam

My husband and I are against any night flying at Manston Airport.

We have already been warned of some night flights during the summer Olympics, to allow V.I.P.s. to come and go at their convenience.

During a normal summer, when sitting quietly in our garden, we have to endure  endless circuits by empty planes to earn the airport some revenue. This is bad enough.

If the council permits night flying, they will have betrayed the people of Ramsgate and this will be remembered by us in any forthcoming elections.

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Dear Thanet District Council.

My Family and I are strongly against the night flights at Kent International Airport (Manston).

We live on the direct flight path on the Nethercourt estate and we put up with the planes flying over in the day, but we would not stand for the planes flying over our home at night, my wife cannot even be in the garden when a plane goes over our house due to the noise.

Our sleep would be disrupted and as an active couple we have responsibility's each day which may be compromised due to lack of sleep. This is not acceptable and we would hold the persons accountable whose decision it was that allowed the night flights to happen.

We witness a maximum of four flights a day from Kent International Airport (Manston), and some days only 1 plane uses the airport, we cannot understand why you would need the night time to allow to land when there is so much available time in the day.

We will continue to oppose the night flights no matter what.

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To Thanet District Council

I am against the extension of night flights.

I find the arguments for the need for night flying and the economic benefits unconvincing. Moreover I am persuaded that the economic damage to the visitor industry especially in Ramsgate will far exceed the benefits of any potential increase in employment opportunities. I believe employment opportunities have been hugely exaggerated by Infratil.

Many of the properties underlying the flight path in Ramsgate are Victorian or even earlier and are poorly sound-insulated. The impact of even one Jumbo at night will be severe especially for people with sleep problems. Residents have purchased houses in the knowledge that they are protected from night flights. The courts may well find that Infratil and/or TDC will be responsible at great cost for improving glazing and other sound insulation at great cost if night flights go ahead.

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I am right under the flight path and the cargo planes which fly over during the day are noisy enough let along having these fly over at night. Therefore I am against night flights at Manston.

All you MP’s and Councillors out there have a responsibility and a duty to the people which you serve to stop night flights from happening.

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