Gatwick consultation published: A proper consultation would have given the public a straightforward chance to say ‘No’
Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) has put forward 3 options for a 2nd runway at Gatwick and is now asking for comment from the public to its consultation. They key omission in their consultation is a proper option to say NO to any new runway. A proper consultation would have given the public a straightforward chance to say ‘No’ at the start of the response form. As it is, there is a small box buried in section D with the option of “None of these options”. Gatwick is asking people to choose between a narrow spaced runway (something the airport does not want, as it would not be practical – so it cannot be considered a serious option) and whether a wide spaced runway (1045 metres south of the existing runway) should be used for both landings and take offs, or for just landings or take offs, at one time. The Airports Commission has effectively already ruled out the narrow spaced runway, so its inclusion in the consultation seems to be a bit of a PR exercise. The purpose of the consultation is to help Gatwick get their runway plans approved, and if possible, keep public opposition to a minimum. Consultation ends 16th May (which is the date all runway proposals must be submitted to the Airports Commission).
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Gatwick airport says, of its consultation:
https://research.ipsosinteractive.com/mrIWeb/mrIWeb.dll
This consultation will run from 4th April to 16th May 2014
Gatwick Airport Limited has put forward three options for a second runway at Gatwick Airport and is keen to receive your feedback on these options. Before answering any of the consultation questions, please read the consultation document entitled “A Second Runway for Gatwick” which is available at www.gatwickairport.com/consultation.
As part of this consultation, we are asking stakeholders, the local community and any other interested parties to give us their views and complete this response form.
Please note that the character limit for each open ended question response is 4,000 characters. If you want to provide a longer answer than this for any of the questions, please email it to the following email address: gatwickrunwayconsultation@ipsos.com, or post it to the address below.
Please ensure you include your name and address so we can include any additional comments you make with your original response.
If you are unable to complete this response form online, please e-mail your response to gatwickrunwayconsultation@ipsos.com
or send in a paper version of your response to the address below:
Freepost RSLG ATKL LBAE
Gatwick Runway Consultation
Ipsos MORI
Research Services House
Elmgrove Road
Harrow
HA1 2QG
If you would like a paper copy of the response form, please call 0800 2600 538 or send an email to consultationqueries@gatwickairport.com
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The consultation response form is at
http://www.gatwickairport.com/business-community/New-runway/Second-runway-consultation/
Click on the “Have Your Say” option.
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No proper NO option
There is no proper way in which anyone filling in the form can say they do not support any new runway. The only place on the response form where this is possible is a box buried in Section D which gives the option of “None of these options” to the three schemes proposed.
The local community group opposed to a new runway, GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) says this is “difficult to find and somewhat confusing (it could mean a preference for some other runway location). A proper consultation would have given the public a straightforward chance to say ‘No’. “ Brendon Sewill, Chairman of GACC, commented: “They’re frightened too many people would vote ‘No new runway.’ ”
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GACC describes Gatwick consultation as “plush and bogus” – it gives no proper chance to say “no” to a new runway
April 4, 2014
The consultation published by Gatwick Airport today is described by GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) as ‘plush but bogus.’ It is plush because no expense has been spared in an attempt to make a new Gatwick runway look inevitable. But it makes no economic or environmental sense to build a new Gatwick runway when Stansted is not forecast to be full until around 2040. It is bogus because the Airports Commission has already ruled out Option 1, the close-parallel runway. GACC’s objections remain as strong as ever. They will campaign vigorously against any new runway. The consultation document contains no maps showing future flight paths – which is an issue of huge significance to local people. It also ignores the inconvenient issue of necessary increases in landing fees, to pay for a runway + terminal. The consultation is deeply flawed, as it gives no proper option to oppose any new runway. There is merely one small option of “None of these options” buried in its section D. That is difficult to find and somewhat confusing (it could mean a preference for some other runway location). A proper consultation would have given the public a straightforward chance to say ‘No’.
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The main consultation questions
A. Questions about the development
A1 To what extent, if at all, would you say you are personally concerned about each of the following potential impacts of a second runway development at Gatwick Airport?
They ask for ” Very concerned; Fairly concerned; Not very concerned; Not at all concerned; No views either way; Don’t know” on the following topics:
Air quality
Flood risk
Impact on business premises
Impact on ecology/wildlife
Impact on community facilities
Impact on homes
Impact on open space
Noise
A2 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have about the potential impacts of a second runway development at Gatwick Airport?
There is a text box for key comments.
A3 Thinking about a second runway development at Gatwick Airport, to what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
They ask for “Strongly agree; Tend to agree; Neither agree nor disagree; Tend to disagree; Strongly disagree; Don’t know” on the following topics:
It will benefit the local economy (Section 2.5)
It will benefit the regional economy (Section 2.5)
It will benefit the national economy (Section 2.5)
It will create jobs related to Gatwick Airport (Section 2.5)
It will create other jobs in the local area (Section 2.5)
It will improve public transport for people in the local area (Section 2.3)
A4 Thinking about a second runway at Gatwick Airport, to what extent, if at all, do you think the following would benefit you personally?
They ask for comments on “A great deal; A fair amount; Not very much; Not at all; Don’t know” on the following topics:
Benefits to the local economy (Section 2.5)
Benefits to the national economy (Section 2.5)
Creation of jobs related to Gatwick Airport (Section 2.5)
Creation of other jobs in the local area (Section 2.5)
Improved bus services in the local area (Section 2.3)
Improved rail services to and from Gatwick Airport (Section 2.3)
Improved road connections (Section 2.3)
Wider range of flight destinations from Gatwick Airport (Section 2.5
A5 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have about the potential benefits of a second runway development at Gatwick Airport?
There is a text box for key comments.
A6 To what extent do you support or oppose Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposals
They ask for “Strongly support; Tend to support; No views either way; Tend to oppose; Strongly oppose; Don’t know” on the following topics:
Providing noise bunds and noise walls to limit ground noise (Section 2.1 and 2.2)
Providing embankments / planting to screen airport development (Section 2.1 and 2.2)
Diverting the River Mole to the west of Gatwick Airport (Section 2.1 and 2.2)
Measures to limit the risk of flooding on the airport and in the local area (Section 2.1)
Seeking to replace lost open space and community facilities (Section 2.1 and 2.4)
A7 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have about Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposals to mitigate the impacts of the development?
There is a text box for key comments.
B. Questions about surface transport
B1 To what extent do you support or oppose Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposals.
They ask for “Strongly support; Tend to support; No views either way; Tend to oppose; Strongly oppose; Don’t know” on the following topics:
The route of the A23 to the east of Gatwick Airport
Reconnection of local roads, cycle paths, footpaths, bridleways
The M23 at Junction 9
The M23 airport spur road
The local buses and coach services
Gatwick rail station including improved access for local residents to local rail and bus interchange facilities
B2 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have about Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposed Surface Access Strategy for a second runway development at Gatwick Airport?
There is a text box for key comments.
C. Questions about airport related development
C1 To what extent do you support or oppose Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposals
They ask for “Strongly support; Tend to support; No views either way; Tend to oppose; Strongly oppose; Don’t know” on the following topics:
Accommodating all airport related development within the boundary of Gatwick Airport
Protecting existing woodland where possible
Locating all cargo and aircraft maintenance facilities in a single location on the northern apron of Gatwick Airport
Identifying land for replacement of lost industrial and commercial premises
C2 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have about Gatwick Airport Limited’s proposals for airport related development?
There is a text box for key comments.
C3 What, if any, comments or suggestions do you have on the subject of runway crossings?
There is a text box for key comments.
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There will be a series of exhibitions:
Exhibition dates
Crawley, Sat 5 April
Rusper, Mon 7 April
Smallfield, Tues 8 April
Ifield, Weds 9 April
Lingfield, Fri 11 April
Felbridge, Sat 12 April
Epsom, Tues 15 April
Crowborough, Thurs 17 Apr
East Grinstead, Tues 22 April
Reigate, Weds 23 April
Crawley Down, Fri 25 April
Horley, Sat 26 April
Charlwood, Mon 28 April
Dorking, Thurs 1 May
Edenbridge, Fri 2 May
Horsham, Sat 3 May
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Related documents
These are the documents Gatwick airport has published, along with its consultation:
Our main consultation document ‘A Second Runway for Gatwick – Our 2014 Runway Options Consultation’ gives full details of our runway options and contains all the information you will need to respond to the consultation. We also produced a summary document ‘Consultation Summary – An introduction to our Runway Options Consultation’.
Consultation Summary: ‘An introduction to our Runway Options Consultation’
Consultation Document: ‘A Second Runway for Gatwick – Our 2014 Runway Options Consultation’
Consultation Document layout plans and noise contour plans
High resolution noise contour plan for Option 1
High resolution noise contour plan for Option 2
High resolution noise contour plan for Option 3
Other documents
Other documents, which do not form part of the consultation, are provided here for information purposes only:
Property market support bond summary document
Home owner support scheme summary document
Noise insulation scheme summary
Report by David McMillan – December 2013 flooding
Access Gatwick (airport surface access strategy)
Decade of Change (main document)
Decade of Change (latest annual report document)
Gatwick 2012 Masterplan
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