NO AIRFIELD FOR MONGEHAM (or village nearby)

We say to the Dover District Council’s planning officers, to DDC planning cttee (chaired by cllr Back), to Civil Aviation Authority, to Kent Highways and to Great Mongeham Parish council, PLEASE, PLEASE, do NOT allow hangars for 20 light aircraft, a helipad, 10 glamping units and a  750 metre airfield to be installed at Manor Farm to the north of Willow Woods Road in Little Mongeham, close to Northbourne village.

Despite the claim that it will only be low carbon electric planes using the new airfield; we do NOT believe fossil-fueled  light aircraft will be turned away, particularly during the Golf Open when there is much money to be made.  Mr Ledger + Mr Hoskins who promote the scheme as very sustainable appear to be economical with the truth. But locals see through the spin. 

The impacts of the plan on residents of two villages and on the wider Deal / East Kent community are many. 3750+  flights per year = noise, air pollution, danger to biodiversity and bird life, loss of peaceful existence in residents’ gardens,  increased road traffic to and from the airfield on single carriage way country lanes.    The many visitors to local B&Bs, to caravan sites across Dover District, (attracted by our excellent quiet footpath network and spectacular (if under-protected) cycle routes , attracted by Walkers are Welcome schemes), will be discouraged by the impacts of an airfield to service the desires of a few users of light aircraft. There is a likelihood the airfield will drive down visitor numbers of those ordinary folk using more sustainable active travel methods in East Kent and this should be avoided.  This airfield does NOT represent climate justice or environmental progress, however sweet the song sung by those whose pockets it will serve. Many local residents are tightening their belts, giving up flying and changing to a low carbon lifestyle. This project flies in the face of the efforts all these residents are making. 

Many changes are affecting farming in 2021 and we sympathize with farmers looking to diversify. We have the utmost respect for the many farmers in Dover District who understand Britain’s food security needs, who work with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) and with NFFN (Nature Friendly Farming Network) in the interests of future generations. Alas, not all in Dover’s farming community are so-minded.

We believe this agricultural land should not be lost to an airfield. It is difficult to  believe that the airfield will be returned to agricultural land later; when there are hundreds of millions to be made by volume developers who ask planners to classify any land that has ever seen a shed into ‘not greenfield’. We support the Executive Summary of the 2020 report on England’s planning processes from Transparency Intl UK;  ‘Permission Accomplished : Assessing corruption risks in local government planning’ , namely increased transparency, tighter rules, and strengthened oversight.     

Please refuse, reject the planning application for an airfield at Little Mongeham.