I've had a look through the Planning Application and Planning Supporting Statement and I have a few, quick observations - a brain-dump if you like :) This is a bit rushed but I wanted to get them out before tonight's meeting.
Planning Support Statement
3.3: States that some of the planes will have four seats. So I assume these will have larger, noisier engines. It doesn't state how many.
3.16: Makes mention that "Most Little Mongeham residents and users have flown for many years across East Kent." This statement doesn't make sense.
3.16: Suggests that the areas flown over by Little Mongeham pilots were comparable to the areas flown over from Maypole. However:
Take off & landings happened at Maypole not Little Mongeham
The planes from Maypole would have been more spread out over the county, whereas the Little Mongeham airfield will concentrate flights over the immediate area
The planes from Maypole will have been much higher by the time they crossed into the Northbourne area, so noise will have been reduced.
3.17: Suggests that helicopters would fit in with normal opening hours. No mention of how many and helicopters are considerably louder.
3.22: Maximum of 7500 flights a year - is this the guaranteed maximum? What if this airfield becomes the "destination of choice"?
3.22: 40 movements a day - is this the maximum? So assuming flights take place between 9 and 5 that's 5 movements an hour - around one every 10 minutes.
3.23: Flying is proposed from sunrise - sunset. So, in mid-summer, we could have flights from 4.30am - 9.15pm. Flights should start/finish at a reasonable time.
3.28 & 3.29: States that the glamping site will not create any disturbance. However the oak tree is a designated focal point which suggests visiting pilots/glampers will be meeting up. 5.5 states that BBQ packs will be encouraged from local businesses. So, during warm summer evenings could these get-togethers take place well into the night?
4.12: "Flying is a recognised sport". Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the word "sport" but what's the likelihood of airplane acrobatics taking place?
4.17: Suggests that the airfield would become a tourist attraction on the White Cliffs County Trail. I'm not too sure how I would feel if my walk through Kent countryside is disturbed by light aircraft flying over every few minutes or so.
5.3: "Fly-ins would support Martha Trust". So what's the likelihood of a group of pilots organising their own fly-ins? Thus increasing the number of flights on a particular day.
6.6: What is the prevailing wind direction? South-West?I'm assuming this has an effect on the general take-off/landing direction and also would mean that pilots would have to fly a circuit to line up for landing.
6.15: The farm ceased to be a hub in 2012. So for 9 years there's been a significant reduction in the traffic in and out of the farm. So the approval of this proposal will result in an increase in traffic along out narrow country lanes, particularly at the weekends.
Other thoughts:
There are just twelve parking spaces to be used by:
Pilots of the 20 planes.
Their entourage.
People staying at the glamping site
Visitors to the site (see 4.21).
Aircraft will need to be refuelled. However there's no mention of the storage and delivery of fuel. HSE consider petrol to be a hazardous substance and yet the planning application (section 21) states that no hazardous substances will be used or stored.
There is mention that there will be no flying school, however there's no statement about whether an air charter service would be allowed. There was one at Maypole.
Again, just to repeat, a list of initial observations from reading through the Planning Support Statement. I'm happy to be corrected if I have made any mistakes - but please provide evidence to back up these.
I await your responses :)