Thanet rejects Manston night flights

More than 2,000 residents air their views

More than 2,000 residents took the time to air their views as part of the council’s public consultation on proposals for regular night-time flying at Manston Airport. The majority were opposed to the implementation of regular night-time flying, with approximately 73% opposed, 26% in favour and 1% not clearly stating a position.

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Consultation results

Well, the results are in for Canterbury district, and the answer is a clear "No" to night flights.

Of the 230 responses, 80% were against Manston's proposals.

So, where are the results for Thanet?

Here they are!

Planning permission for Manston

Manston airport sale "a chance to introduce proper planning"

News that Manston airport is up for sale is confirmation that the local infrastructure is not sufficient to sustain an airport, according to one of the most respected campaign group in the country.

Manston’s New Zealand owner, lnfratil, announced it was selling the site because it wanted to “refocus its investment profile" and concentrate on retail, production and supplying gas and electricity. The move puts 123 jobs at risk.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England says the sale is an ideal chance for Thanet council to put into force planning regulations protecting the interests of residents

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Manston closure full of surprises

It was nothing to do with night flights, it was an investment decision (surprise, surprise), Labour feels vindicated and criticises Tories (surprise, surprise).

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Airport boss calms jobs fears after Manston is put up for sale

Manston airport boss Charles Buchanan has insisted it will be "business as usual" at the airport, following the shock announcement of its sale last Thursday.

A statement from the airport said it was a decision that had arisen from operator Infratil "refocusing" its investment profile.

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BAWC

OK folks, let's get a grip before hysteria takes hold.

There have been mutterings in the undergrowth for a while, and now ITV Meridian are obediently repeating the carefully leaked PR drivel. BAWC are going to save the whole of south-east England from flight congestion by, er, moving their flights from one part of the south-east to another.

Hmmm... well, first of all, we've been here before.

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Airport CEOs upbeat

Two minds with but a single thought

Iain Cochrane, chief executive of Glasgow Prestwick Airport:

I believe this is an excellent opportunity for us to attract new investment into the airport to provide the stimulus for future growth.

STV 8th March 2012

Charles Buchanan, chief executive of Manston Airport:

This represents an opportunity for Manston to ... attract new investment into the airport and stimulate the growth needed to make it a success in the future.

kentonline 8th March 2012

Reality hits home, Infratil leave town

Delusion has finally been swept away by the onslaught of reality and Infratil are throwing in the towel. This has been a long time coming, and Nostrildamus predicted it in November 2010.

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Manston Airport has been put up for sale. Bosses at Kent International Airport told staff at 10.30am yesterday (Friday) morning. The shock decision was made by owners Infratil. The New Zealand-based company also plans to sell its airport at Prestwick near Glasgow.

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Manston Pickle

The already deprived residents of one of the poorest local authorities in England may soon be deprived of sleep, too — thanks to the ineptitude of Thanet council.

Thanet's Manston airport, owned by Kiwi conglomerate lnfratil, wants to operate flights throughout the night — mostly old, noisy freight 747s. The airport's boss, Charles "Manston" Buchanan, says this will somehow help create more than 3,000 jobs, as well as, one presumes, raging insomnia for the thousands of council taxpayers who live under the flight path.

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Manston's imaginary friends

"Action for Manston Airport" - clearly a heartfelt plea, so if any of you have any spare action, do sellotape it to a postcard and send it Mr Buchanan at the airport.

It's also the name of a Facebook thingy that's just been magicked out of thin air by a very enthusiastic couple - Irene & Antony Horwood. They have dragooned all their Facebook "friends", and a number of other people, into being an involuntary fan club for Manston.

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Night flight blight triggers house price crash

Ramsgate property prices have dropped over 7% in the last 6 months.

The effects of "night flight blight" can already be seen in the fall in house prices in Ramsgate, as compared to the rest of Thanet.

Despite its architectural richness, thriving independent retail sector, attractive harbour and the new high speed rail link, prices in Ramsgate over the last 6 months have fallen sharply

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Funds

Dear Reader, the time has come when we would like to have more than your thanks and praise - we would also like some of your money.

It's rather un-English to come out with it so bluntly, but this isn't the time for beating about the bush.

We've spent a couple of years funding this campaign out of our own pockets. At the brilliant meeting at Chatham House School last November you gave very generously when we passed the money buckets round, and we've had some delightfully chunky donations through this website.

As events unfold and the campaign gathers pace, we are now facing significant additional costs - in particular the costs of running one of the country's finest environmental and planning barristers.

In the top right of the screen on the website, you'll see a DONATE button. You can use most major credit cards, PayPal and direct debit. Please send us what you can.

We will use the money you send us to fight night flights.

Thank you.

CPRE response to the public consultation

I've got a lot of time for the CPRE, and in particular our local branch - Protect Kent. They've got their heads screwed on, and their hearts are in the right place.

I joined them, and I encourage you to join them too. Your membership fees pay for their expert staff to do things like producing the response below. Read and enjoy... then join up!

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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!

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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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Click to have your say in the Public Consultation on Night Flights

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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.

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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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Click to have your say in the Public Consultation on Night Flights

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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?

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Today's the day!

It's the last day of the consultation on night flights, so if you haven't had your say yet - HURRY UP!

Click HERE to find out how it works, and how you can have your say.

Click HERE to see what others have already said.

Here's a snippet from the Isle of Thanet Gazette, followed by a short video from the talented Andrew Woodman...

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Upping the ante

Well, here's a surprise - I asked Manston and Infratil and their spin doctors to justify their absurd job figures, and there's been absolute silence. Maybe it's just me - maybe they just won't talk to me. Maybe it would help if YOU asked them...

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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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Click to have your say in the Public Consultation on Night Flights

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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.

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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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Click to have your say in the Public Consultation on Night Flights

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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.

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