Mongeham Airfield Application – Tilmanstone Parish Council Response
| Application Summary | |
| Address: | Manor Farm Willow Woods Road Little Mongeham CT14 0HR |
| Proposal: | Change of use of land to an airfield to include a runway, helipad, erection of 2no. aircraft hangars, flight office and toilets, workshop/plant storage building, glamping for 10no. pitches, associated parking and a vehicular access track |
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| Comments Details | |
| Commenter Type: | Tilmanstone Parish Council |
| Stance: | Customer objects to the Planning Application |
| Comments: | Tilmanstone Parish Council objects to this application and does so in full support of the objections raised by both Sutton and Northbourne Parish Council’s. It also objects on the following basis:
1. The application is completely at odds with the Dover District Council’s Action on Climate Change at a time when that Authority has declared a Climate Change Emergency. Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions driving global climate change. In fact, if the entire aviation sector were a country, it would be one of the top 10 carbon-polluting nations on the planet. Air travel is also currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make. Despite the application making reference to the use of electrically powered aircraft it does not commit to such use nor condition the use of the airstrip for such aircraft. The application is for general aviation and this will result in significant noise, nuisance, adverse environmental effects and unsustainable activity. 2. The idea of making the airport carbon zero is not possible. The leading manufacturer of batteries “Tesla” produce electric cars with a 198Wh/kg (watt hours per kilogram) compared to the needed 400Wh/kg for a battery in an aircraft. The ability to produce such battery power for electric aircraft is presently in a development phase and indications are that it will take approximately 15 to 20 years before it becomes affordable, achievable and a reality. It is therefore not a valid material argument to allow planning. In the meantime the airstrip will undoubtedly use noisy, high polluting aircraft. 3. The application does not satisfy National Planning Policy by demonstrating the need and proposes very little mitigation of the adverse effects it will have on local people, wildlife habitat and all who are within flight paths. The village of Tilmanstone is within such flight paths and thus the Parish Council strongly opposes this application. |