There are proposals to add a second, Northern, runway at Gatwick airport which will result in significant impacts on our village in a number of ways. The increased numbers of flights will also mean a significant increase in passengers who need to travel to and from the airport and this will increase traffic levels through Brockham in both directions. The increased departures would be expected to be reflected in the flights close to Brockham due to what is identified as Departure Route 4 which itself is under review and could result in more air traffic closer to Brockham and at lower heights.
The proposal to add the second runway at Gatwick will result in a massive expansion of the airport infrastructure and create an extensive increase on the roads surrounding the airport and a requirement for additional low cost housing with need for all of the associated community support systems. As Gatwick is in Sussex there is no fiscal benefit to Surrey residents despite the extensive impact of the expansion on our County.
At present there is a planning hearing for this proposal and it is imperative that as many individuals as possible express their concerns and opposition to this expansion of Gatwick. You can register your opinions via the government website at the links shown in the following paragraphs.
The Parish Council will be providing feedback on behalf of the village but it is also important that as many villagers add their voices in opposition to a project that will have a huge negative impact on the village across a whole range of criteria.
This is your opportunity to submit your views on Gatwick’s plans. You can register and submit a relevant representation here.
But you must register before the deadline of midnight on 29 October 2023.
Expansion of Gatwick would significantly increase aircraft noise both for those living near the airport and for those further away under flight paths. The noise envelope Gatwick has proposed is not consistent with government policy and CAA guidance and are wholly one-sided. They should be substantially revised.
Night flights
A ban on night flights should be a condition of any expansion at Gatwick. The airport should also be required to set out a comprehensive package of measures to incentivise the use of the quietest aircraft at night outside the hours of a ban.
Climate change and air pollution.
Expansion on the scale proposed would increase very substantially the CO2 emissions and other climate effects associated with Gatwick’s operations and flights. There are currently no proven technologies for reducing aviation emissions at scale. Expansion of Gatwick would therefore have a material impact on the UK’s ability to meet its carbon reduction targets. Carbon emissions will also result from construction works and increased road traffic to the airport. Flights and traffic will make air pollution worse.
Transport impacts:
Gatwick’s targets to increase how many people bus, train, walk and cycle are insufficient to prevent a massive increase in road traffic around the airport. This increase in traffic would increase congestion on local roads and increase off-airport parking. Gatwick is not providing any extra rail services but the project will increase pressure on future train services, with the result that more passengers will have to stand on the mainline services between London Victoria and Brighton.
Flood Risk
Over the years the River Mole and its tributaries have flooded, especially when the Airport and sewage treatment plants discharge water in extreme events. Climate change is making these extreme events more frequent and severe. Expansion of the Airport, and other developments locally, need to properly take this into account.
And if you feel comfortable doing so you may wish to comment on :
Need
Gatwick’s overall case for expansion does not comply with the Airports National Policy Statement which requires airports (other than Heathrow) to demonstrate sufficient need to justify their expansion proposals, additional to (or different from) the need which would be met by the provision of a Northwest Runway at Heathrow.
This growth at Gatwick will have a huge adverse environmental effect on our communities and countryside. The only people to benefit will be Gatwick's shareholders.
Economic case
The economic benefits of expanding Gatwick have been overstated by the Gatwick Airport Ltd. Significant economic, social and environmental costs have been ignored and/or understated. The economic benefits of air transport growth are subject to diminishing returns. In an already highly connected economy such as the UK, additional economic benefits from further expanding air transport are largely dependent on net inbound tourism and business travel growth. Both of these are absent in the UK today (more people fly on holidays overseas and business travel has flat-lined in the UK since 2006 as set out here). When Gatwick's scheme costs, benefits, and the long-term societal risks are taken into account, the scheme’s economic case no longer stacks up and entails unreasonable levels of risk to local, national and international wellbeing. In addition, the proposed scheme by incentivising UK residents to spend more overseas, this project will cost jobs and economic activity at home, particularly in the poorest parts of the UK, contradicting the government’s levelling-up agenda.
To read Gatwick’s plans in more detail you can access the application documents on different topics easily via the document library.
But most importantly, please do make sure you have your say - by the 29th October by clicking on the picture of the plane.