LETTER: Airport expansion concerns aired

They spoke with openness, and listened and engaged with residents over concerns for their area and homes.

A free exchange of views was aired and excellent details of the environmental impact were detailed by experts to the fall out of aviation and car emissions.

Major concerns for all present were - who will pay for the infrastructure to support an airport the size of Heathrow, and where all the affordable houses required would be built to accommodate the 45,000 new families, anticipated by Crawley and West Sussex councils.

Councils are already struggling to convince local people of the demand to build at present with residents groups, such as RAGE, being formed.

Another fact aired, that there is not the mass unemployment in this area to fulfill the vacancies that an expanded Gatwick would present.

It seemed that Surrey and Kent representatives viewed an expanded Gatwick not so much as the golden goose but as a drain on the public purse as who is to pay the millions required to build the long tunnel to accommodate the M23 as the new runway goes across it; the major road building infrastructure required to take the 90 million travellers plus workers to the airport.

It was also suggested that the new town, the size of Crawley, to support an expanded Gatwick would have to be built in Sussex and who would pay for the schools, GP surgeries, hospital, water, power, waste collection, police, etc, to support this as revenue would outweigh costs in business terms.

Gatwick representatives were in attendance as were local business people, such as myself who have to travel the M25, when it is moving, for work.

A good informative seminar providing independent facts, to a full conference room, of the fallout of such a monster airport to the people that will have to live with the affects that will change completely the tranquility of this corner of the South.

Attendees were encouraged to get involved with the GACC to protect where they live.

It was a shame more did not stay for the afternoon session where clear details were given to what the flight path consultation, taking place at present by Gatwick, actually means to local people.

SALLY PAVEY

Mayes Lane, Warnham