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Villagers living in the shadow of Gatwick fear revival of plan for new runway Villagers living in the shadow of Gatwick fear revival of plan for new runway
(2 months later)
In the green and pleasant English village of Warnham, the elderflower and hawthorn are in full, scented, creamy bloom and the sun umbrellas are up in the pub’s well-tended garden. The 14th-century Anglican churchyard is alive with birdsong. Inside the church is the font where the poet Shelley was baptised in 1792.In the green and pleasant English village of Warnham, the elderflower and hawthorn are in full, scented, creamy bloom and the sun umbrellas are up in the pub’s well-tended garden. The 14th-century Anglican churchyard is alive with birdsong. Inside the church is the font where the poet Shelley was baptised in 1792.
Related: Sadiq Khan urges Corbyn to back Gatwick expansion
The adult Shelley’s atheism later outraged the local population. There hasn’t been too much controversy since in Warnham, but now a new row of national significance looms. The clear but distant noise of aircraft landing and taking off at Gatwick airport is a permanent feature here and there are growing fears that things could get far, far worse.The adult Shelley’s atheism later outraged the local population. There hasn’t been too much controversy since in Warnham, but now a new row of national significance looms. The clear but distant noise of aircraft landing and taking off at Gatwick airport is a permanent feature here and there are growing fears that things could get far, far worse.
When the long-running debate over airport expansion in the UK eventually resulted in last year’s Airports Commission report, which recommended a new north-west runway at Heathrow at a cost of £18.6bn, residents opposed to the shortlisted Gatwick second runway option were delighted. But since then a final decision has been delayed until after the European referendum – and Gatwick is suddenly back in the frame. David Cameron has said he is against Heathrow expansion. The new London mayor Sadiq Khan and ministers such as Justine Greening take the same view.When the long-running debate over airport expansion in the UK eventually resulted in last year’s Airports Commission report, which recommended a new north-west runway at Heathrow at a cost of £18.6bn, residents opposed to the shortlisted Gatwick second runway option were delighted. But since then a final decision has been delayed until after the European referendum – and Gatwick is suddenly back in the frame. David Cameron has said he is against Heathrow expansion. The new London mayor Sadiq Khan and ministers such as Justine Greening take the same view.
“It’s a big urban area around Heathrow, with a lot of big-hitting politicians, they can march and protest with a lot of passion and make a lot of noise. We’re a small group with small voices. Half the people who will be affected by an expansion at Gatwick don’t even know it could happen and haven’t yet woken up to the massive impact it will have on their lives,” said Sally Pavey, a campaigner from Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE). “Even our MPs, who are all against a second runway at Gatwick, have far smaller voices than the London lot.”“It’s a big urban area around Heathrow, with a lot of big-hitting politicians, they can march and protest with a lot of passion and make a lot of noise. We’re a small group with small voices. Half the people who will be affected by an expansion at Gatwick don’t even know it could happen and haven’t yet woken up to the massive impact it will have on their lives,” said Sally Pavey, a campaigner from Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE). “Even our MPs, who are all against a second runway at Gatwick, have far smaller voices than the London lot.”
CAGNE has unveiled two reports looking at the transport implications of a second runway at Gatwick, which lies on an overcrowded and unreliable rail route between Brighton and London and feeds on to the busy M23. “Both these new reports show clearly that Gatwick would simply become a bottleneck,” said Pavey.CAGNE has unveiled two reports looking at the transport implications of a second runway at Gatwick, which lies on an overcrowded and unreliable rail route between Brighton and London and feeds on to the busy M23. “Both these new reports show clearly that Gatwick would simply become a bottleneck,” said Pavey.
On the other side of the debate, the airport has increased its lobbying of the government and launched an advertising blitz, and last week its chairman, Sir Roy McNulty, wrote to the prime minister pledging that the Gatwick plan would not seek a taxpayer subsidy, a claim rejected by the campaigners.On the other side of the debate, the airport has increased its lobbying of the government and launched an advertising blitz, and last week its chairman, Sir Roy McNulty, wrote to the prime minister pledging that the Gatwick plan would not seek a taxpayer subsidy, a claim rejected by the campaigners.
“They estimate 60,000 new jobs with a second runway, this is an area of full employment so that’s 60,000 inward migrating workers. Where do they live? We’re already short of housing, there are 3,000 on the housing waiting list in Crawley alone. Who is going to build the extra schools? GP surgeries? I imagine that’ll be the taxpayer,” said Pavey. “It’ll also force local businesses to compete for a limited labour supply.” A second runway would also mean the diversion of a river and the demolition of 17 listed buildings and a business park.“They estimate 60,000 new jobs with a second runway, this is an area of full employment so that’s 60,000 inward migrating workers. Where do they live? We’re already short of housing, there are 3,000 on the housing waiting list in Crawley alone. Who is going to build the extra schools? GP surgeries? I imagine that’ll be the taxpayer,” said Pavey. “It’ll also force local businesses to compete for a limited labour supply.” A second runway would also mean the diversion of a river and the demolition of 17 listed buildings and a business park.
Warnham would be affected by three flight paths, putting the quiet village in a “noise shadow” that Pavey says will be unbearable. “There can’t be a night fly ban for the cheaper airlines, they need three turnarounds a day because they are working to such small margins. They’re talking about putting the holding stacks out to sea – that’s the town of Chichester hit – and there they are completely oblivious to how that might affect their lives. And it will affect their lives, it’ll affect Brighton commuters trying to get on trains, it’s not just us in our backyards, people need to wake up.”Warnham would be affected by three flight paths, putting the quiet village in a “noise shadow” that Pavey says will be unbearable. “There can’t be a night fly ban for the cheaper airlines, they need three turnarounds a day because they are working to such small margins. They’re talking about putting the holding stacks out to sea – that’s the town of Chichester hit – and there they are completely oblivious to how that might affect their lives. And it will affect their lives, it’ll affect Brighton commuters trying to get on trains, it’s not just us in our backyards, people need to wake up.”
Retired Warnham couple Bill and Janice Sorrell plan to leave: “I thought we’d both go out in wooden boxes, but now it looks like we’ll see another lot of packing boxes!” said Janice. “We came here for tranquillity in our retirement. We’re seeing so many people selling up.”Retired Warnham couple Bill and Janice Sorrell plan to leave: “I thought we’d both go out in wooden boxes, but now it looks like we’ll see another lot of packing boxes!” said Janice. “We came here for tranquillity in our retirement. We’re seeing so many people selling up.”
A Gatwick spokesperson said: “The Airports Commission, Network Rail and the Highways Agency have all concluded that the planned transport improvements serving Gatwick will more than meet the demand from an expanded Gatwick. Rail capacity serving Gatwick, for instance, will double in just three years when the Thameslink programme goes live and then nearly treble by 2035.A Gatwick spokesperson said: “The Airports Commission, Network Rail and the Highways Agency have all concluded that the planned transport improvements serving Gatwick will more than meet the demand from an expanded Gatwick. Rail capacity serving Gatwick, for instance, will double in just three years when the Thameslink programme goes live and then nearly treble by 2035.
“While Gatwick expansion will inevitably mean more people affected by aircraft noise, this would be just 3% of the number affected by Heathrow expansion. Gatwick takes this impact seriously, however, and will cap the number of people most affected by noise and will also pay £1,000 each year toward the council tax of those most affected.” CAGNE points out payment is limited to only the closest homes and cannot be passed on when the house is sold. But the airport insists growth offers prosperity. “It is simply not reasonable to say that the region will not need new jobs and economic growth in the future,” said the spokesman.“While Gatwick expansion will inevitably mean more people affected by aircraft noise, this would be just 3% of the number affected by Heathrow expansion. Gatwick takes this impact seriously, however, and will cap the number of people most affected by noise and will also pay £1,000 each year toward the council tax of those most affected.” CAGNE points out payment is limited to only the closest homes and cannot be passed on when the house is sold. But the airport insists growth offers prosperity. “It is simply not reasonable to say that the region will not need new jobs and economic growth in the future,” said the spokesman.
Peter Nottage is another Warnham resident thinking of moving on. “I came here for quiet, seems there’s not going to be much of that left. When the commission report came out we thought fine, it’s all done and dusted. But then Gatwick keeps lobbying, and uncertainty goes on.Peter Nottage is another Warnham resident thinking of moving on. “I came here for quiet, seems there’s not going to be much of that left. When the commission report came out we thought fine, it’s all done and dusted. But then Gatwick keeps lobbying, and uncertainty goes on.
“Of course more and more people are flying. It’s a dilemma. We all want to grab a plane, these cheap airlines are sending huge volumes of people off, while people here are worried about house prices, of course they are.” In 2012 a study commissioned on airport expansion in Frankfurt produced results showing price falls of 14% for homes most severely affected by noise. In nearby Rusper, under a flight path, a house costs almost £100,000 less than in Warnham. Nottage, the proprietor of the Sussex Oak pub, remembers too clearly what happened on 17 February 2014 when Gatwick tested new flight paths that would be similar to the effect over Warnham of a second runway. “Without warning, six in the morning and ‘boom’ . There’s a jet over the house. And then another.”“Of course more and more people are flying. It’s a dilemma. We all want to grab a plane, these cheap airlines are sending huge volumes of people off, while people here are worried about house prices, of course they are.” In 2012 a study commissioned on airport expansion in Frankfurt produced results showing price falls of 14% for homes most severely affected by noise. In nearby Rusper, under a flight path, a house costs almost £100,000 less than in Warnham. Nottage, the proprietor of the Sussex Oak pub, remembers too clearly what happened on 17 February 2014 when Gatwick tested new flight paths that would be similar to the effect over Warnham of a second runway. “Without warning, six in the morning and ‘boom’ . There’s a jet over the house. And then another.”
Pavey also has memories of that six months. “Awful, you couldn’t go outside into the garden, we were all getting ratty with each other, it was like mental torture, very stressful. Not how life is meant to be, not what people live here for.”Pavey also has memories of that six months. “Awful, you couldn’t go outside into the garden, we were all getting ratty with each other, it was like mental torture, very stressful. Not how life is meant to be, not what people live here for.”