Night Flights: too hot to handle?

Calling all TDC-ologists: what's going to happen on Thursday?

Cllrs Hart and Poole have tabled a motion about Night Flights for the Council meeting on Thursday 14th July 2011. The blurbs that come with the meeting handouts say that there are two options:

• To note that the motion stands referred without discussion to Cabinet; or
• To debate the motion.

All the Councillors who pay any attention at all will have registered that night flights are a hot topic. All the manifestos made some kind of reference or pledge, and the results in several seats in Ramsgate were decided on the strength of the candidates' stance on night flights.

The election is over, the dust has settled, and there's no longer any need to pussy-foot about. The Council is now in a position to knuckle down and get on with the job it was elected for: representing the wishes and interests of the electorate.

So, what's it to be? Kick it into the long grass, or debate it? Click here to find out what happened.

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“The Council adopts a policy of not allowing scheduled, pre-planned or otherwise timetabled flights between the hours of 23:00 and 07:00. That a period of 1 hour at either end of the flying day be allowed for late/early arriving flights only. That a penalty be applied to any flights arriving during the 1 hour periods. No take-offs will be allowed between 23:00 and 07:00 hours and a schedule of exceptions to the above be prepared to include ‘mercy flights’, and flights for medical emergencies, coastguard movements etc.”

Protesters claim research is misleading

Campaigners against proposals for regular night flights at Manston airport have questioned research claiming growth would provide 3,000 jobs. Campaigners from the No To Night Flights group questioned the basis for the figures. They claim Bournemouth airport handles 1 million passengers with 247 jobs and Stansted estimated its jobs total will soon fall to 330 per 1 million passengers.

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Manston night-flying consultation delayed

Manston airport’s night-time flying consultation has been delayed as airport-operator Infratil has been forced to check its facts. New noise assessments produced independently by the council have led to it asking the airport to review its application and the public consultation has been halted until Infratil reviews its proposal.

Thanet council received an application from Infratil in late September to extend flying hours at Manston and grant permission for a number of night flights for heavy freight planes. However, a draft report investigating the potential noise impact of night-flying prompted councillors to reject Infratil’s plans on Monday.

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TDC Labour Group reject night flying application

Excellent news from Thanet Labour - they've rejected the ridiculous night flying application from Manston owners Infratil at a Labour Group meeting last night. They cite the "alluded to jobs figures", "quality of life issues for the thousands who would be adversely effected" and the current "section 106 ...needing to be properly enforced and renegotiated".

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