1 Description of the Development

1.1 No information is supplied as part of the study to indicate the types of aircraft envisaged, or load capacity on which ‘flights per year’ is based.

2 Aircraft Noise and Mitigation

2.1 Prior to considering any major planning application which might result in substantially increased air traffic movements, the Council will expect to see a consideration of peak noise activity and its effects, as well as average noise activity.

2.2 The Council will, therefore, expect noise contour maps to be produced for 2005, 2010 and 2015.

2.3 There may be a case, therefore, for the airport operators to reconsider the alignment of flight paths to the west and to examine, at this stage of development, if the flight paths are those most appropriate to minimise disturbance.

2.4 Consideration needs to be given as to whether there needs to be a more strongly enforced regime of both landings and departures for heavy jets, to and from the west and a substantial managed reduction on departures and landing to and from the east over Ramsgate.

2.5 Before any substantial increase in aircraft numbers are agreed, such as might arise from development of a new terminal, the airport operators should invest in the appropriate tracking equipment to ensure greater compliance from pilots using the airport.

2.6 No substantial increase in air traffic movements, such as might arise from constructing a new passenger terminal, should be agreed without the installation of full ILS equipment and more strict adherence to ‘continuous descent approaches’.

2.7 Further thought on the impact of noise, particularly peak noise, should perhaps lead to reconsideration of the noise insulation programme prior to the submission of a major planning application to ensure that those most affected by low level aircraft noise have the possibility of noise insulation being considered along with the development proposals.

3 Surface Transport

A    Strategic Traffic Generation

3.1 Much more definite proposals for the use of the existing rail station/coach services, have to be formulated before consideration can be given to a proposal for substantial development, such as a new terminal building.

3.2 As a matter of urgency, and well in advance of the likely submission of any substantial new development at LMA, a piece of consutlancy work is required by LMA in the way of a Traffic Impact Assessment and Strategy related to the development levels proposed which will determine the full extent of traffic impacts that will result through airport development and offer phased solutions..

B     Local Traffic Generation

3.3 Encouragement/incentives through a Green Transport Strategy for journeys to and from work to be made other than in a private car will clearly be an important issue in the consideration of any substantial planning application.

3.4 Specific proposals by way of closures and mitigation measures will be required as part of the consideration of any major planning application.

C     Parking/Vehicle Handling at Site

3.5 The amount of car parking proposed in the Environmental Impact Statement will have to be scaled down in relation to any agreed Green Travel Strategy and clearly the figures envisaged in the current document do not sufficiently reflect that approach.

3.6 It is the view of the Council that prior to the submission of any major application which is likely to lead to substantial growth in passenger traffic, such as a proposal for a new terminal, a substantial study of all of the above issues needs to be undertaken to establish a clear and agreed Surface Transport Masterplan for the airport which will establish phases of development with specific surface transport and infrastructure improvements, such that the two proceed in parallel.

4 Water Quality

4.1 The Local Authority will wish assurances that both infrastructure and management systems are in place to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency or, that any programme of development includes such proposals.

4.2 The Local Authority will require more detailed information on the issue of surface water disposal to Pegwell Bay and its implications.

5 Nature Conservation

5.1 Nature Conservation issues are already being considered by the owners of the site and their consultants and clearly any specific proposal for major development such as a new terminal building would have to take into account these issues in more detail as part of the planning application procedure.

6 Air Quality

6.1 Issues related to atmospheric pollution will be matters that will be dealt with specifically in relation to the environmental consequences of a passenger terminal and will need to be addressed as part of the consideration of any planning application for such development.

7 Economic Issues

7.1 It is the Council’s view, therefore, that before a major planning application is submitted for a development such as a passenger terminal, a full economic study, by an appropriate independent consultant agreed in advance by the Council, needs to be undertaken, which will identify in much greater detail the potential jobs linked to the growth of the airport and the likely direct and indirect net impacts on the local economy brought about as a consequence of the expansion of activity at the airport.

8 Other Issues

8.1 Utility Infrastructure Provision

8.1.1 Utility provision, or indeed the absence of such utility provision, could have environmental consequences, particularly in relation to water quality, (not just on the central island aquifer, but, potentially on emissions to the River Stour) and on landscape issues.

8.2 Enhancement of Public Transport

8.2.1 The development can also have a beneficial impact by enhancing local services that otherwise would not be improved; this should be identified.

8.2.2 The presence and development of the airport could in itself produce a demand for better quality rail services which in addition to improving the access to rail by the airport would incidentally improve rail services to the surrounding area.

8.3 Fuel Supply Options

8.3.1 The study at present considers fuel supply likely by tanker from the Isle of Grain for the foreseeable future, until such time as a fuel tank farm can be constructed at Port Ramsgate, at which time fuel tankers will increase on the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Road and A299. At some date in the future it is suggested that a pipeline from the Port directly to the airport might be appropriate. All of these have environmental consequences, either in terms of traffic movement or potential impact on the adjoining SSSI/SPA/RAMSAR sites and, therefore, have potential environmental consequences which need to be assessed.

8.3.2 In addition, any underground (or overground) pipeline could have potential implications for the water catchment area and water collection adits in the event of spillage. Such environmental consequences will need to be assessed and considered as part of any planning application.

8.4 Complementary Development

8.4.1 It is inevitable that if the airport is as successful as is being predicted by the owners, then the pressures for complementary development in the vicinity of the airport will be considerable; this needs to be identified and assessed.

8.5 Landscape Assessment

8.5.1 Whilst obviously detailed proposals for the mitigation of the impact of large buildings will form part of any consideration of detailed building proposals, as they are developed, nevertheless, it should be possible to reach some generalised conclusions on the form that built development might take in order to mitigate its impact on the environment and for some definite statements to be made concerning the design and associated landscaping, particularly in terms of the long term views of the site from the south.

8.6 Runway Extension

8.6.1 Any such proposal for extensions will, of course, require a planning application and will undoubtedly require a separate Environmental Impact Assessment. However, given the generalised nature of the Environmental Impact Statement being produced, at present, some of these consequences should at least be acknowledged at this stage to ensure full understanding.