showrecentcomments({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-15T12:22:58.538Z"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Stop Manston Expansion Group is back open for a short period"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default?alt\u003djson-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d26\u0026max-results\u003d25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"145"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-258489233261804695"},"published":{"$t":"2009-12-09T21:47:00.004Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-09T21:52:14.039Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"For Sale"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SyAbR7ulfWI/AAAAAAAAASM/cXY00LI1p2Q/s1600-h/manston.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 129px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SyAbR7ulfWI/AAAAAAAAASM/cXY00LI1p2Q/s400/manston.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413356747004149090\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOne sign, less than a year old, move forces reluctant sale, will suit expanding airport.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOffers 08707 605 755\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-258489233261804695?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/258489233261804695/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d258489233261804695","title":"8 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/258489233261804695"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/258489233261804695"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/12/for-sale.html","title":"For Sale"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SyAbR7ulfWI/AAAAAAAAASM/cXY00LI1p2Q/s72-c/manston.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"8"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-7992139928541658327"},"published":{"$t":"2009-12-02T14:08:00.001Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-02T14:08:46.317Z"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"A brief return"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SxZ0fWtS80I/AAAAAAAAASE/Q8JdR1sM6BU/s1600-h/kma.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 220px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SxZ0fWtS80I/AAAAAAAAASE/Q8JdR1sM6BU/s400/kma.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410640084352561986\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI have been provided the name of 'Stop the Loonies', the self confessed airport supporter who hates the people of Ramsgate.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor someone in such a position, I am surprised at the amount of vitriol pointed at the people of Ramsgate over the past year. To quote Stop the Loonies from posts on this blog and others;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e9th July 2009 \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"wotcha smeggers - found out?\u003cbr /\u003enah don't think so, keep trying though it's highly amusing.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYes, it is amusing now we know your identity.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e8th July 2009 \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"Me hit women? NO NEVER !\u003cbr /\u003eWell........ maybe a little slap now and again if the housework isn't up to scratch.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMmmm.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e25th March 2009 \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"Nobody seems bothered by the belching black smoke from the Fire School across the road from the Airport that has been blowing across Ramsgate for the last few days, or the thousands of gallons of fuel pumped out on the Fire Simulators for their recruits to put out.\u003cbr /\u003eSeems like you got your priorities arse about face.\u003cbr /\u003eYour quite happy to breath all the unburnt aviation fuel from a Fire School.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSomething the Fire School would not be too happy about I'm sure. Nor...\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e16th March 2009 \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"Ramsgate: High Crime Area !\u003cbr /\u003eDon't take my word for it, YOUR Council lists 2 area's of Ramsgate as High rime Area's.\u003cbr /\u003ehttp://www.thanet.gov.uk/community__living/crime_prevention/community_safety/high_crime_areas.aspx\u003cbr /\u003e\"\"A place where everyone wants to live\"\"\u003cbr /\u003eI don't think so....\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e...would KCC or TDC,  or any businesses in Ramsgate looking to entice people in.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnyway, I'm at a loss on whether anyone would actually be interested in knowing who it is having seen the literally few visitors his poor website gets.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWe'll see what happens.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-7992139928541658327?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/7992139928541658327/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d7992139928541658327","title":"17 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7992139928541658327"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7992139928541658327"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/12/brief-return.html","title":"A brief return"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SxZ0fWtS80I/AAAAAAAAASE/Q8JdR1sM6BU/s72-c/kma.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"17"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-7827257777082008493"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-28T13:15:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-28T13:19:39.441+01:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Turning off public viewing capability"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Only members will be allowed on from later today.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThose pro-airport supporters (such as Stop the Loonies) who continue to view this blog at least twice per day even though its been closed for nearly a fortnight, will have to find something else to do.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-7827257777082008493?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/7827257777082008493/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d7827257777082008493","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7827257777082008493"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7827257777082008493"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/turning-off-public-viewing-capability.html","title":"Turning off public viewing capability"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-8151387334678709405"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-16T22:28:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-16T22:41:56.042+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"flybe"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Flybe announces early summer schedule for 2010"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SrFbnjGc7UI/AAAAAAAAAR0/Lx3MKIq54qU/s1600-h/FlybeLogo-Header.gif\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 93px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SrFbnjGc7UI/AAAAAAAAAR0/Lx3MKIq54qU/s400/FlybeLogo-Header.gif\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382183764679781698\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFlybe have announced their early Summer (to June) schedule for 2010 today. From their website;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"FLYBE ANNOUNCES EVEN MORE ROUTES FOR EARLY SUMMER 2010\"\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\"Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline and the UK’s number one domestic carrier, has announced the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003efinal\u003c/span\u003e list of its new early 2010 summer schedule with millions of seats now on sale to popular destinations across the UK and regional Europe.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOk, so where are the new Kent International flights that have been rumoured to be coming next year?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e• Glasgow to: Paris Charles De Gaulle, Manchester and Southampton\u003cbr /\u003e• Inverness to: Manchester\u003cbr /\u003e• Isle of Man to: Liverpool, Manchester and Southampton\u003cbr /\u003e• Leeds Bradford to: Southampton\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNothing under K. Maybe they are under its Flybe preferred name of Manston.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e• Liverpool to: Isle of Man\u003cbr /\u003e• Manchester to: Brussels, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Milan Malpensa, Norwich and Southampton \u003cbr /\u003e• Newcastle to: Southampton \u003c/span\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMmmm. Even more strange, if you want to book Jersey for, say, May of next year, you can - from Gatwick. It seems you can book pretty much everything you want at every other airport up to June of 2010. Nothing showing up for Manston for 2010 though. Nor Kent International. Nor London Kent Hub Chas'n'Dave International. Nothing. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhats going on?\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-8151387334678709405?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/8151387334678709405/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d8151387334678709405","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8151387334678709405"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8151387334678709405"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/flybe-announces-early-summer-schedule.html","title":"Flybe announces early summer schedule for 2010"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SrFbnjGc7UI/AAAAAAAAAR0/Lx3MKIq54qU/s72-c/FlybeLogo-Header.gif","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-3768589076892885712"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-13T19:22:00.010+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-13T21:07:42.745+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"a looney with no friends"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Start Manston Expansion - supported by who?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sq1Qp7stzrI/AAAAAAAAARs/Dmt-7VIejlo/s1600-h/looney.bmp\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 339px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sq1Qp7stzrI/AAAAAAAAARs/Dmt-7VIejlo/s400/looney.bmp\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381045811107712690\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSMEG's crack IT team have managed to \"hack\" into Stop the Loonies -  Start Manston Expansion sitemeter tracker page, which gives all the gory details of visitors, where they came from and how long they stayed.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor busy blogs with lots of visitors, such as this one and ECR, we get literally hundreds of hits per day. Sadly, in the lonely world of Manston Airport supporting, only a handful of unique visitors ever turn up for a peek. 14 in total today. And they're not there long!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe owner is seen clear as day posting from the domain name \"AS9105.com\", which is the same domain which posts as Stop the Loonies, and various, spiteful anonymous comments through the day and evening.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eApart from that, its all very, very dull. With such little traffic, there really isn't much to see or information to glean. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor those interested, the IT boffins have promised to tell me how they got in at some point tomorrow.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eCan't wait.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-3768589076892885712?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/3768589076892885712/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d3768589076892885712","title":"9 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3768589076892885712"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3768589076892885712"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/start-manston-expansion-supported-by.html","title":"Start Manston Expansion - supported by who?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sq1Qp7stzrI/AAAAAAAAARs/Dmt-7VIejlo/s72-c/looney.bmp","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"9"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-4780037946852782932"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-11T09:21:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-11T09:32:02.954+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"gazette"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Gazette letters special"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"More mis-information from the one pro airport letter from five published in the \"Manston Letters Special\" section on page 13.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMrs D Wilson - \"For goodness sake, it 's only half an hour earlier and half an hour later. What is wrong with these folks. Do they not want to see Thanet propser?\".\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor a start Mrs Wilson, you have your facts wrong. The airport want to be able to schedule aircraft for 24hrs a day. If the agreement is passed, 747's can take off and land at 3am if they so wish. The proposal talks about re-classifying daytime operations by an hour in the morning and 30 mins at night, but the overall request is to creat a night time flying policy. I suggest you read the request prior to writing your letter nest time. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYes we do want prosperity in Thanet Mrs Wilson, and we think night flights will bring the exact opposite for Thanet. As pointed out in the next letter, \"...why...move...to a town where you are guaranteed to havean interrupted nights sleep?\"\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFinally, Mrs Wilson, I'm glad that you save a couple of hours every year on your trip to Jersey but not having to get to Gatwick. I am however more interested for the thousands of Ramsgate residents who will be subjected to through the night flights every night of the year without respite. Still, if it saves you time, it must be worth it.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-4780037946852782932?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/4780037946852782932/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d4780037946852782932","title":"19 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/4780037946852782932"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/4780037946852782932"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/gazette-letters-special.html","title":"Gazette letters special"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"19"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-6648312268886850041"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-07T20:39:00.007+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-07T20:55:19.202+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate town council"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ramsgate Town Council Meeting 7th Sep"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SqVlIfh5qPI/AAAAAAAAARk/olpNLUE-J-A/s1600-h/037.JPG\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SqVlIfh5qPI/AAAAAAAAARk/olpNLUE-J-A/s400/037.JPG\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378816526540974322\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eA rather interesting but unsurprising meeting tonight from Ramsgate Town Council. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eItem 8 on the agenda was the night time flying proposal from Infratil. Cllr Richard Nicholson, Ramsgates representitve on the Thanet District Council Airport Working Party, gave an update on the proposal and what it means for Ramsgate.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIt seems many of the council had not quite understood what the request was for. Astonishing to think that these people supposedly represent us, but outside Cllr's Nicholson, O'Donnell and Mayor Green none seemed to have grasped it, and two even admitted it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHow a request asking for night time flying over the rooftops of Ramsgate can it seems be not read, or even worse, understood by our representitives is beyond me.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnyway, it seems they will attempt to rectify this by holding some sessions with Thanet Council and Infratil to understand what is being requested. What is wrong with them actually reading and understanding a very simple document?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eGood news is the general consensus once 365 24/7 flights were explained was one of horror. It seems no-one would be supportive of such a thing. Just in case though, please contact your local councillor to ask them if they know what the request is for and how they feel about it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOh, remember the request asks for a night quota without stating what that quota is? Infratil and Thanet District council have come up with the number 7,000 points . In real terms this means that there could be 5 jumbo jet flights every night between 2330 and 0600 for 365 days of the year, and this would all be perfectly legit. No fines. Carry on Infratil without fear of breaking rules.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNight Night!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-6648312268886850041?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/6648312268886850041/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d6648312268886850041","title":"37 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6648312268886850041"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6648312268886850041"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/ramsgate-town-council-meeting-7th-sep.html","title":"Ramsgate Town Council Meeting 7th Sep"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SqVlIfh5qPI/AAAAAAAAARk/olpNLUE-J-A/s72-c/037.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"37"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-2302156151942466173"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-03T09:57:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-03T10:04:24.825+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"no night flights"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Night Time Flying request  - information #2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Another cut out and keep guide for councillors wishing to swot up on the night time flying request by Infratil. This sentance is from the TDC press release in regards to Night Time flying on Wed 19th Aug;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"...Infratil is looking to introduce a formal noise quota system. This is used by many UK Airports including...Bristol....\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSome information for you on how the noise quota system 'restricts' night flying at Bristol.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNight Flights\u003cbr /\u003eBristol International Airport has operational hours of 7am to 11pm set by local planning requirements, but in fact its main operations start at 6am. A noise quota counts plane movements between 11:30pm and 6am.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIn summer 2008 there were 2320 night flights over 209 days, an average of over 11 per night. Of these 1830 (79%) were arrivals and 491 were departures (21%). Note that this does not count helicopters, small aircraft, or some non-commercial flights. The worst night had 25 flights.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOver the past few years, night flights in the winter season have typically been around 900, making a total of around 3200 per year.\u003cbr /\u003eBIA has proposed a new cap on night movements of 4500 per year. This is 40% above the numbers seen in recent years. Most of the growth in night flights has been during the summer months, so it is likely that the 4500 flights would be split 1000 for the winter and 3500 for the summer, representing more than a 50% growth in summer night flights – just when sleep is more difficult and windows are open.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFrom the 2008 summer data, the times of night of such flights were:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eBIA Summer 2008 night flights\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sp-GRc5KzHI/AAAAAAAAARc/IKlsoIzRo-k/s1600-h/bia-summer-2008-night-flights.gif\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 249px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sp-GRc5KzHI/AAAAAAAAARc/IKlsoIzRo-k/s400/bia-summer-2008-night-flights.gif\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377164114475535474\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere is no period of the night clear from flights, and the real departure schedule starts at 5am.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIt has been argued that these flights are due to charter operators using cheap slots or due to unexpected delays, but in fact 31% were easyJet, 10% were Ryanair, and further flights are likely for the other scheduled carriers, and the same flights arrive at the same late time on a regular basis.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe busiest weeks had 100 night flights, or 14 per night. BIA's plans imply this growing to 150 flights in the worst weeks, or 21 per night, every night.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-2302156151942466173?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/2302156151942466173/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d2302156151942466173","title":"25 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/2302156151942466173"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/2302156151942466173"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/night-time-flying-request-information-2.html","title":"Night Time Flying request  - information #2"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sp-GRc5KzHI/AAAAAAAAARc/IKlsoIzRo-k/s72-c/bia-summer-2008-night-flights.gif","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"25"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-368294960224172408"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-03T08:49:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-03T09:17:24.067+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"no night flights"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Arguments FOR Manston -  #1. \"....it was here before you, so move\""},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"As far as this writer is concerned, correct, it was here before me. There was not a detailed masterplan, which is what prompted me into action, but only a decade old, failing private airport (for the second time) and a glint in the councils eye that one day it could solve all Thanets ills. There was not a request for night flights.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs for Ramsgate v Manston Airport; which came first, the airport or the town? Well, one clear winner here. Ramsgate has been around since 1200, the airport turned up in 1915. Other affected towns, villages, hamlets, have earlier origins that WWI.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHow about the use of the airport? Military, wooden planes to start with, progressing to military jets in the 50's, charter passenger jets in the same decade, up to the hundreds of tonnes 747's we have today. Its gone from UK Citizen protecting MOD ownership to NZ Pensioner contributing ownership and all these use change without any planning permission, change of use permissions given.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIn regards to the people underneath the flightpath, how about those who had no choice and were born into the area? What of those whose circumstances mean they can't move away? What about those businesses that are tied to the area, so moving means closing? What about those people who moved in under the protection of a 106 agreement which banned scheduled night flights between 11pm and 7am?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSuggesting those who do not like the airport to move as it was here before them is asking them to give up. They can all see that freight operations bring no long term value to the area. Night flights will effect health, house prices and future prospect of investment. The people who I meet don't want that future for Ramsgate, Acol, St Nicholas, Herne Bay.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-368294960224172408?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/368294960224172408/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d368294960224172408","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/368294960224172408"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/368294960224172408"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/arguments-for-manston-1-it-was-here.html","title":"Arguments FOR Manston -  #1. \"....it was here before you, so move\""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-1346409298416782955"},"published":{"$t":"2009-09-01T15:01:00.007+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-09-01T16:56:29.316+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"no night flights"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Night time flying request - information"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cobject width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" class\u003d\"BLOG_video_class\" id\u003d\"BLOG_video-efdc52c2f92c3110\" classid\u003d\"clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000\" codebase\u003d\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version\u003d6,0,40,0\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"movie\" value\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAEbqiT-pXmimn7VDny7-dKojr3Ue5iHf6gQf8ILLFtKWHCuhsAegmBwhxMIp8TJNXCf_kujVq3GPqcRILGCMuYt3ULRJ6DT93sV_mnvgj65w52TNH6OaGQmdEvdUUQv5N3AkLdtrahmmrOAUPGHAkzcm1KBajzsgvWmzJOhwC6CnoDDcsBvEC7icX09rnsc9RCKc32Lau_2XW8Fc5mTQf_9lvKJ7KIf1pjzNJm_KysIV%26sigh%3D3A4tIPiWR1yCUYI1Fp-Htueh3x4%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3Defdc52c2f92c3110%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3DT2InymM11TW6vSicFQ3AVFZutUw\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"bgcolor\" value\u003d\"#FFFFFF\"\u003e\u003cembed width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAEbqiT-pXmimn7VDny7-dKojr3Ue5iHf6gQf8ILLFtKWHCuhsAegmBwhxMIp8TJNXCf_kujVq3GPqcRILGCMuYt3ULRJ6DT93sV_mnvgj65w52TNH6OaGQmdEvdUUQv5N3AkLdtrahmmrOAUPGHAkzcm1KBajzsgvWmzJOhwC6CnoDDcsBvEC7icX09rnsc9RCKc32Lau_2XW8Fc5mTQf_9lvKJ7KIf1pjzNJm_KysIV%26sigh%3D3A4tIPiWR1yCUYI1Fp-Htueh3x4%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3Defdc52c2f92c3110%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3DT2InymM11TW6vSicFQ3AVFZutUw\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\" type\u003d\"application/x-shockwave-flash\"\u003e\u003c/embed\u003e\u003c/object\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eTo help make things easy for those councillors trying to understand the niceties of Infratil's request for night flights, I attempt to provide an easy to read, cut out and keep guide to help you come to a decision next March.\u003cbr /\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cSTRONG\u003eThe Request in General;\u003c/STRONG\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e \u003cbr /\u003eThis is not only a request to lengthen operating hours by 1.5 hours. This is a request to allow through-the-night flying. they have asked for a night time quota, which will effectively allow them to schedule flights throughout the night. 1am, 2am, 3am, take your pick. The extension of operating hours looks like a smokescreen. Its caused confusion with senior local politicians, but just so everyone is clear - this request allows a 747 to take off or land at 3am. If you donlt beleive me, please ask Infratil. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cSTRONG\u003eNight quota, quota count;\u003c/STRONG\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAll planes have a designated quota point assigned to it. Examples; \u003cbr /\u003e747-200 arrivals \u003d 4 points, departures 8 points\u003cbr /\u003e747-400 arrivals \u003d 2 points, departures 4 points \u003cbr /\u003eCorporate Jet \u003d exempt, as they are so quiet! \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e747-200's, such as those used by MK Airlines, will therefore be allowed to land at 3am, but not take off until 6am under the new request. The differences between quota counts is imperceptible. For example, an allowed QC4 plane could make a noise of 98.9 decibels, where a QC8 which will be discouraged (but not banned) from 3am activity would make 99 decibels of noise. The noise is equivalent to a very loud motorbike passing by you on the street.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhat the quota will be is anyones guess. It makes no mention of it in the request itself. How many planes do the owners want to fly at night? Will councillors be asked to vote on a night time flying regime that is undefined? I would ask the Director for Regeneration seeing as he has put the request forward to council without this important factor included.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe attached video was posted to us anonymously, received today. I thought I'd share it with you.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-1346409298416782955?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"enclosure","type":"video/mp4","href":"http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId\u003defdc52c2f92c3110\u0026type\u003dvideo%2Fmp4","length":"0"},{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/1346409298416782955/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d1346409298416782955","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1346409298416782955"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1346409298416782955"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/09/night-time-flying-request-information.html","title":"Night time flying request - information"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-3172578625162797872"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-28T22:36:00.012+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-28T23:54:17.166+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"uniformed opinions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"night flights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"letters"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Isle Of Thanet Gazette - Comment"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sphamk9YOLI/AAAAAAAAARU/3B7V73ufEEg/s1600-h/noise.bmp\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 300px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sphamk9YOLI/AAAAAAAAARU/3B7V73ufEEg/s400/noise.bmp\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375145774069332146\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eA few points to make about todays gazette.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFirstly, a big cheer to Gazette reporter Saul Leese for understanding and clearly reporting the request from Infratil. They want through-the-night flights, and Saul has presented this in simple, easy-to-understand language. Airport operators take note.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNice to see Cllr Richard Nicholson also understands and righfully disagrees with the request and the huge changes that Manston owners Infratil want to make. It seems Airport Working Party Chairman Mike Harrison now realises what the owners are actually proposing and is also disagreeing with it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNow, onto the special letters page \"Letters Extra - Manston Airport\".\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eC.Callaghan. Talking about my good self, \u003cem\u003e\"......if he asked people who live near Gatwick or Stansted, he would find that with development house prices go up\u003c/em\u003e\".\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWith inflation, prices of everything go up over time. Houses prices on flight paths go up over time. What they don't do is go up as quickly as house prices that are not on the flight path. Only this week, one of the team was on the phone to a local Ramsgate estate agent. I quote - \"\u003cstrong\u003eNight flights will not be good for house prices\u003c/strong\u003e\" was the feedback received in regards to Ramsgate future real estate potential. Try asking them yourselves, C. Callaghan. If thats not enough and you want to ask someone directly, I see Stop Stansted Expansion have provided an address. Feel free to quiz them about house prices in Stansted.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eJohn Sherwell. It seems I am accused of writing in \u003cem\u003e\"...such an \u003cstrong\u003euniformed \u003c/strong\u003eway\"\u003c/em\u003e . Mmmm.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnyway, to correct some other more pressing mistakes John has made.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I am not sure about the weight of jumbo jets being as much as 400 tons.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNeither was I, that's why I found out before I typed it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eIs he not aware that there were two civilian airlines operating alongside the military\u003c/em\u003e?\" \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI am well aware civil aircraft have been using Manston for decades. No argument with that. There should also be no argument with the simple fact I quoted that Manston has been a private airport for just over 10 years now. Private airplanes using a military airport. Private planes using a private airport. Ardent airport supporters should understand those subtle differences.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Why does he think there would be \"hundreds of flights per day\"?\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIts not me saying there will be. I just go on what the councils (KCC and TDC) tell me, as well as what the airport owners Infratil say. 6,000,000 passengers pa. 500,000 tonnes of freight pa. Take busy holiday periods, weekends. Take a few moments to work it out as to how many flights you could get each day.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"There is not space for more than about five jumbos\".\u003cbr /\u003e\"There is no piped refuelling facility..\"\u003cbr /\u003e\"There is only one passenger Terminal.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAll correct John, but if you were the \"ardent Manston Airport Supporter\" you profess to be I would have assumed you take the Draft Masterplan with you everywhere and have thumbed it from cover to cover umpteen times. All of these issues have been 'resolved' by the airport owners in the Masterplan, and anyone who had taken even a casual glance through it would know it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eJohn, you sum your selfish attitude up perfectly with your second to last paragraph;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I think we are lucky enough to have the potential to fly without having to double our journey time...just to get to a distant airport.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf all Manston means to you is a few hours saved each year on your annual trip to Gatwick, tell that to the thousands of people who live under the flightpath and are facing through-the-night flights through your 'uniformed', uninformed support of Manston.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI hope people read the letter from Stop Stansted Expansion. It might give you some insight into their experiences. Its a warning worth heeding.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-3172578625162797872?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/3172578625162797872/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d3172578625162797872","title":"14 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3172578625162797872"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3172578625162797872"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/isle-of-thanet-gazette-comment.html","title":"Isle Of Thanet Gazette - Comment"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Sphamk9YOLI/AAAAAAAAARU/3B7V73ufEEg/s72-c/noise.bmp","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"14"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-3913970713067173157"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-27T08:44:00.005+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-27T09:00:18.178+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"night flights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"NO NIGHT FLIGHTS!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpY5fnaao8I/AAAAAAAAARM/TR-TCFRM-24/s1600-h/yourthanet+no+night+flights.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpY5fnaao8I/AAAAAAAAARM/TR-TCFRM-24/s400/yourthanet+no+night+flights.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374546420631774146\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eA balanced view from yourthanet on the request for 747's through the night by Manston Airport, and an excellent front page splash of the main sands weekend grafitti.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI've been inundated with emails and phone calls this week over the proposed night flights. Its not only anti-airport people against the proposal - Ardent supporters of the airport are totally against night flying as well.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eA copy of Steve Ladymans questionnaire has yet to arrive despite dozens of directs requests from different constituents asking for it. Nobody in his constituencey has come forward as having completed it. Feel free to email me the details if you are one of the few.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIt seems the council Airport Working Party have not exactly covered themselved in glory by publicly stating that \"scheduled night flights are not going to happen\" when the proposal from Manston requests just that.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThis could be a career defining moment for councillors, MP's and prospective MP's alike. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI would suggest letters to the press, councillors, MP are a good way to vent any frustrations. Alternatively, if you live under the flightpath and welcome being woken up at 3am, feel free to email me and I'll happily post your story here.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e(ECR - yes I did steal your picture. A Nebuchadnezzar of Veuve is on its way round to ECR Towers)\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-3913970713067173157?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/3913970713067173157/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d3913970713067173157","title":"10 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3913970713067173157"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3913970713067173157"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/no-night-flights.html","title":"NO NIGHT FLIGHTS!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpY5fnaao8I/AAAAAAAAARM/TR-TCFRM-24/s72-c/yourthanet+no+night+flights.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"10"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-3013455894349511810"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-24T20:34:00.006+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-25T14:17:56.406+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"night flights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ladyman"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ladyman asks South Thanet residents about night flights.....allegedly"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpLtYeBpZOI/AAAAAAAAARE/n3CU91xsu6w/s1600-h/ladyman.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpLtYeBpZOI/AAAAAAAAARE/n3CU91xsu6w/s400/ladyman.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373618310039037154\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMP for Ramsgate, Stephen Ladyman, informs me that he has undertaken the 'biggest such survey' in relation to the night flights request from Infratil.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHaving asked dozens of people who live in Ramsgate if they have received such a survey, none have had one drop through their door - Nethercourt, Central Harbour Westcliff, Eastcliff, Pegwell - nobody has seen one.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI'm interested to know whats in it, what has been asked and what it tells us about Dr Ladymans understanding of the request from Infratil to allow scheduled 747's to take off and land at 3am. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHas he made this clear in his survey?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf anyone has a copy of the questionnaire, please copy it to the comments or send me an email.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf anyone would like to comment to Dr Ladyman and ask him his opinion on night flights, his email address is on the sidebar. He always responds.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-3013455894349511810?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/3013455894349511810/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d3013455894349511810","title":"24 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3013455894349511810"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/3013455894349511810"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/friend-or-foe.html","title":"Ladyman asks South Thanet residents about night flights.....allegedly"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SpLtYeBpZOI/AAAAAAAAARE/n3CU91xsu6w/s72-c/ladyman.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"24"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-8005568488912818404"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-20T12:36:00.007+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-20T13:18:39.053+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"night flights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Night Flights - More information"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cobject width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" class\u003d\"BLOG_video_class\" id\u003d\"BLOG_video-693cc78521c728e1\" classid\u003d\"clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000\" codebase\u003d\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version\u003d6,0,40,0\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"movie\" value\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAIiSxp13MRsP2RXZVN7myjLf_Js8jvluHZNufpXUNkX94smKLoGwtgGEULQZ2S9035Qzokutk6ZhM58kTw0_kiJzw1Hk9XDkdQ0SWldqeZLS9rWofbXuInvzR-DkhBiSr4GM-rjB5kRYRuZkN3OKWw7yfPobsg32YWH-8SlEfg8ngDJ6CojjS0W5aa4idETrt0n70ogTr05bJIBkfUP6nNCnYkB1I83CjSYBgCpCcHO8%26sigh%3DTvIV9WISJXT2BRtid_09_YMrCKY%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D693cc78521c728e1%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3D8PSrewRjnfRuAb9Z_jlO3itRPCE\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"bgcolor\" value\u003d\"#FFFFFF\"\u003e\u003cembed width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAIiSxp13MRsP2RXZVN7myjLf_Js8jvluHZNufpXUNkX94smKLoGwtgGEULQZ2S9035Qzokutk6ZhM58kTw0_kiJzw1Hk9XDkdQ0SWldqeZLS9rWofbXuInvzR-DkhBiSr4GM-rjB5kRYRuZkN3OKWw7yfPobsg32YWH-8SlEfg8ngDJ6CojjS0W5aa4idETrt0n70ogTr05bJIBkfUP6nNCnYkB1I83CjSYBgCpCcHO8%26sigh%3DTvIV9WISJXT2BRtid_09_YMrCKY%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D693cc78521c728e1%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3D8PSrewRjnfRuAb9Z_jlO3itRPCE\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\" type\u003d\"application/x-shockwave-flash\"\u003e\u003c/embed\u003e\u003c/object\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnother fine example of what will be keeping you awake from march of next year. This will be \"allowed\" throughout the night should the airport operators get TDC to break out the big YES rubber-stamp. Had a quick conversation with Mike Harrison who pointed me to the correct place on TDC's labyrinth of a website to the actual request from Infratil for night flights.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYou can find it \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://tdc-mg-dmz.thanet.gov.uk/Published/C00000144/M00001779/AI00003165/Annex1ApplicationfromInfratil.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMike also gave some general, and as yet unconfirmed information about the consultation process. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ea) Its a 6 months consultation\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eb) It will involve statuatory consultation (surrounding councils, town councils, EA) and public consultation\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ec) Public consultation will be scheduled to take 12 weeks, but if written responses are not made in time, as long as they are within the 6 month period they will be accepted\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ed) There will be at least two public meetings, one in Margate, one in Ramsgate\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThere may be roadshows/stalls in other towns and villages in Thanet. Westwood Cross and Broadstairs for example\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eConversation moved onto the request itself. Please read the document and draw your own conclusions, but this request has two detrimental effects on affected residents;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e1) an increase in operational hours, where only 72% of currently available operational time in May (figures CAA taking one arrival every 4 minutes as the max) was used. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e2) the creation of a noise quota to allow 747's to use the airport between 11:30pm and 6am. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAlthough both cause great concern, the second point is more worrying. Infratil have not advised what that quota will be, but it will be calculated on a 24 hour basis. This means that current daytime 747 operations could be switched to nighttime without any recourse.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe current 106 calls for a night time flying policy to be submitted before any flights are allowed, to scheduling night flights is effectively banished. This proposal, if agreed, will allow scheduled night flights for 747's to occur. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSpeak to your councillors and ask them if they think this is acceptable.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-8005568488912818404?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"enclosure","type":"video/mp4","href":"http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId\u003d693cc78521c728e1\u0026type\u003dvideo%2Fmp4","length":"0"},{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/8005568488912818404/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d8005568488912818404","title":"8 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8005568488912818404"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8005568488912818404"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/night-flights-more-information.html","title":"Night Flights - More information"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"8"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-6745571965843410247"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-20T06:25:00.009+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-20T11:51:23.249+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"mike harrison"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"infrastil"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Night Flights by Easter........"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cobject width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" class\u003d\"BLOG_video_class\" id\u003d\"BLOG_video-4d284cf5f5ab9878\" classid\u003d\"clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000\" codebase\u003d\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version\u003d6,0,40,0\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"movie\" value\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAPCZD0ddCGBZjZs6HcCGJYfM-hHvCIXLxQvfyqr5AN34gasnDS4LoCc9_hkEiOkcYr9AyzXWPnypS7ChvSlaAYAA55AChShkrHOHwIT6lkHrhHWtr7RySpl7uOmsXBLTy6BPRsi2lozROjCfAou1tCadVfSU_Ga03OHis2PcTwtqrq1LWo88VX82-4gGvGyzCf9qpY3velt45z4Z-_rGc8TaUH2f-zoQWGLr7MTYUxKp%26sigh%3DjZx8L3PqVmhPwgrFxXZ_PzShLHU%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D4d284cf5f5ab9878%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3DlVXT1CU9socRWVdyNUkGexEuGQo\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"bgcolor\" value\u003d\"#FFFFFF\"\u003e\u003cembed width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAPCZD0ddCGBZjZs6HcCGJYfM-hHvCIXLxQvfyqr5AN34gasnDS4LoCc9_hkEiOkcYr9AyzXWPnypS7ChvSlaAYAA55AChShkrHOHwIT6lkHrhHWtr7RySpl7uOmsXBLTy6BPRsi2lozROjCfAou1tCadVfSU_Ga03OHis2PcTwtqrq1LWo88VX82-4gGvGyzCf9qpY3velt45z4Z-_rGc8TaUH2f-zoQWGLr7MTYUxKp%26sigh%3DjZx8L3PqVmhPwgrFxXZ_PzShLHU%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D4d284cf5f5ab9878%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3DlVXT1CU9socRWVdyNUkGexEuGQo\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\" type\u003d\"application/x-shockwave-flash\"\u003e\u003c/embed\u003e\u003c/object\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThanks to Mike Harrison for updating me on the consultation period. It is 6 months.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe only place information seems available on the request for night flights is on the \"Stop the Loonies\" blog. Seeing as the anonymous person who posts on here has been proven to operate from Manston Airport, one can only assume they are an Infratil employee. Amongst consistently derogatory comment on Ramsgate town, its people and our future, he does seem to have the inside track on whats going on. He would be failing in his daytime job if he didn't.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI shall attempt to provide you with some insight into what the night flying policy means in real terms;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003eA scheduling ban on noisy aircraft such that aircraft exceeding Quota Count 4 shall not be scheduled to operate between 11.30 pm and 6.00 am\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThat means planes up to an including Quota Count 4 (QC4) can operate at night. That's makes a noise up to 98.9 decibels - like a pneumatic drill working right beside you. The aircraft in the video is QC3. 1am, 2am, 3am, take your pick Mr fruit-flying rust bucket, and don't worry about the natives.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe application of preferred runway use subject to operating conditions..... such that night-time arrivals use RWY 10 and departures utilise RWY28 when practicable, avoiding overflying Ramsgate town.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe prevailing wind means landing over Ramsgate will happen 70% of the time. This is something the airport/council can say, which might be good for Ramsgate, but in reality will do very little to reduce noise in the town at night. Do not be fooled into thinking this is a 'win' for Ramsgate, and remember towns and villages such as Herne Bay, Acol, St Nick's will just gain the pain.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAll other points also need to be debated, reviewed, explained, understood. Whether public consultations allow that to happen remains to be seen.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf the 12 week consultation has already started, 10th November is the date we are looking at. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e10th November, and no meeting have been scheduled, we have no idea who is going to be consulted and what consultation process is. What will be done with the information? Will responses be formally collated? the BAWC fiasco, the full council meeting consisted of various councillors saying \"well I spoke to this many people and they all said yes\". That is not how our councillors should be operating.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI have already contacted Mike Harrison and asked for a meeting. He has duly called and I will post on the discussion at later today. I want to be able to share as much detail on the process as possible as soon as possible, something TDC seem incapable of.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-6745571965843410247?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"enclosure","type":"video/mp4","href":"http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId\u003d4d284cf5f5ab9878\u0026type\u003dvideo%2Fmp4","length":"0"},{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/6745571965843410247/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d6745571965843410247","title":"11 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6745571965843410247"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6745571965843410247"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/night-flights-by-christmas.html","title":"Night Flights by Easter........"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"11"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-5522003486859616271"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-19T13:29:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-19T13:39:43.692+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Night Flights  - Manston Airport seeks extension to operational hours"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Matt Clarke and TDC called a press conference today to advise that as of 17th August, a 6 month consultation period had started with the main aim to allow night flights at Manston.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMore details as I get it, but what is known is the extension will result in flights from 6am to 11:30pm, and increase of 1.5 hours from current operations.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYou may ask why an airport needs extended hours of operations when its not busy during the current 16 hours of operation. Manston owners Infratil say its because they want a \"level playing field\" with other airports in the region. Ramsgate residents might say they want a level playing field in regards to a right to peace and quiet with other Kent residents.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI look forward to TDC/Manstons idea of 'consultation'. For those who knew about/followed the Mastperplan 'consultations',you will remember that the big town of 35,000 inhabitants 1,000 feet under the flightpath were not given a public meeting. Will they have the decency to actually consult those affected this time? Will they actually listen to anything said on the consultation? Is this just a box ticking exercise and the inevitable TDC \"YES\" rubber stamp will be taken from the \"Airport\" file?\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-5522003486859616271?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/5522003486859616271/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d5522003486859616271","title":"15 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/5522003486859616271"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/5522003486859616271"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/night-flights-manston-airport-seeks.html","title":"Night Flights  - Manston Airport seeks extension to operational hours"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"15"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-7940852366331025299"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-18T19:55:00.011+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-19T09:19:31.075+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"enemy of ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"kcc"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Update - Enemies of Ramsgate #1 - Kent County Council"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SosPyiKCroI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/iFsWJux52Zk/s1600-h/_45764613_006566552-1.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 170px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SosPyiKCroI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/iFsWJux52Zk/s400/_45764613_006566552-1.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371404341406248578\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMore reason for all residents of Kent to continue to ask question of our beloved County Council and the missing £50,000,000.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eKCC released annual accounts recently which went into great detail on the current Icelandic situation, including some good news! KCC received back £3,000,000 from administrators of Heritable Bank, a UK subsidiary of an Icelandic Bank in the same name. Thats 15% of the £18,000,000 total on deposit. Very good indeed, and the rest is scheduled to come back up to 2013. However, KCC don't believe all of this money will be coming back, and have \"impaired\", ie, taken a hit  to the bottom line of £5,800,000\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThings don't improve when the statements move onto the remaining two banks where KCC invested - Landsbanki and Glitnir. Both are Icelandic banks, therefore not under UK administration like Heritable.  Neither have agreed to pay any monies yet, but according to the statements,  between 95% and 100% of deposits are expected. I assume this is because of the status KCC or councils in general suggest they hold in these situations. Remember their press release in March;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"In terms of getting the money back we remain confident and optimistic that as a preferred creditor we will be first in the queue.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHowever, when you read on through the statement, KCC make this alarming comment;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"Recovery is subject to the following uncertainties and risks:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003eFailure to secure preferential creditor status would have a significant impact upon the amount of the deposit that is recoverable\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\"\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eKCC do not have preferred creditor status as clearly stated in press releases in March. Without this status, they expect to get back between 33% and 40% of deposits.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOh dear.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eCoupled with Heritables \"impairment\" charge, Kent have already written down over £10,000,000 of these investments, but it could get much, much worse.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eKent County Council have been very economical with the truth. All press releases have been bullish about getting funds back, but when they have to put official pen to paper, the real horror story comes out.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOne final point that needs clarity. Remember the \"email that cost £3,000,000\". This was paid over to Heritable on 1st October 2008 after an email had been sent from a financial advisor telling them not to. On the list of investments, two more cash amounts were made AFTER this - £5,000,000 on 2nd October, and £5,000,000 on 21st October. How and why were these deposits made when the rest of the world new of Iceland and its failing banks, and NOT to give them any money? If anyone has the answer, please feel to post it here or email me. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFinancial mismanagement seems embedded in the culture of KCC. Iceland, Virginia flights.  They seem to be creating and getting away with error after error. They must not be allowed to continue wasting our money on airports, failed investments or on any other folly. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://democracy.kent.gov.uk/Published/C00000144/M00002367/AI00008429/$Item12Appendix.xlsA.ps.pdf\"\u003eClick here to read the full financial statements. Page 62 is where the Icelandic fund starts\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-7940852366331025299?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/7940852366331025299/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d7940852366331025299","title":"6 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7940852366331025299"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/7940852366331025299"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/update-enemies-of-ramsgate-1-kent.html","title":"Update - Enemies of Ramsgate #1 - Kent County Council"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SosPyiKCroI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/iFsWJux52Zk/s72-c/_45764613_006566552-1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"6"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-5389815463404174462"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-17T07:30:00.006+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-17T07:52:22.350+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"thanet earth"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Infratil freight up, passenger numbers down"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Soj9rtkSCeI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Iq9kOA9fjLg/s1600-h/1822+ramsgate.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 334px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Soj9rtkSCeI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Iq9kOA9fjLg/s400/1822+ramsgate.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370821483047291362\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e64% increase in freight from Apr-Jun 2009 verses Apr-Jun 2008.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e45% decrease in passenger numbers over the same period.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eInfratil said they expected 1,000,000 passengers by the end of next year.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI would suggest the proposed passenger numbers are a smokescreen - 'beads for the natives' - to smooth through 24/7 operation of fruit-carrying ageing jumbos. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFreight airports employ less people than passenger ones.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eTDC state two reasons for supporting the airport\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e1) Thanet residents don't have to put themselves out for their annual holiday by spending a couple of hours getting too/from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e2) Jobs are created.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThere were 8 destination on offer this year from Manston for all you holiday lovers. Manston can't entice operators down here. There is not the market, not the money around to do so. It costs serious money to base aircraft at any airport - millions. Is a serious operator going to spend hard cash in this financial climate when the airport chief exec says losses are \"unsustainable\" and \"Manston will close\"?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFreight operations, which are highly mechanised and need few people to offload planes in a few minutes, are not going to create thousands, not even hundreds of jobs. Example - Manston employs about 80 people to fly in veggies and fruit from Africa. Thanet Earth employs about 500 to grow fruit and veggies a mile up the road.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf Manston has failed and continues to fail on both of the councils main selling points, why is it still being supported? \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHow many other jobs in other industries/business on a site that size could be created? If East Kent residents are to be subjected to blight and night flights, what is the pay-off?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs far as I can see, a few people benefit from Manston, but is being sold as something for everyone. It isn't, it never will be.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOh, the above picture. Ramsgate before Manston existed, for those who think people should just deal with things if something was here before them. I wholeheartedly agree.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-5389815463404174462?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/5389815463404174462/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d5389815463404174462","title":"13 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/5389815463404174462"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/5389815463404174462"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/infratil-freight-up-passenger-numbers.html","title":"Infratil freight up, passenger numbers down"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Soj9rtkSCeI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Iq9kOA9fjLg/s72-c/1822+ramsgate.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"13"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-1179779324006594826"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-11T19:54:00.010+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-12T07:13:15.564+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"enemy of ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"roger gale"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Enemies of Ramsgate - #3 Roger Gale"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoHN1zvs3BI/AAAAAAAAAQs/aWReq-7fVKo/s1600-h/would+the+last+person+to+leave+margate+please+turn+the+llight+out.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 308px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoHN1zvs3BI/AAAAAAAAAQs/aWReq-7fVKo/s400/would+the+last+person+to+leave+margate+please+turn+the+llight+out.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368798555109383186\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhat could popular MP of the North (Thanet) could possibly have done to offend Ramsgatonians? Well, quite a bit actually;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHigh Speed Rail - When the full service starts, it will lop off a minimum of 40 minutes from the current journey to a mainline London station. Unfortunately, Rog is upset on two fronts; Margate trains are not as quick as Ramsgate ones; and the trains go into the 'wrong station'. You see Roger it seems would like the train to deposit him at Victoria, a couple of mins down the road from Parliament. If he had it his way high speed rail would bypass Ramsgate, carve a way through south London and drop him off on the terrace. Sorry Roger, it is what it is.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eManston - Roger has often spouted his support for Manston whenever he gets an opportunity; Creation of a Kent \"Hub\" airport, even though his own party leaders deem this a ridiculous idea; Creation of a parkway station at the airport so literally, erm, dozens of passengers can alight directly at the airport saving a massive 7 minute transfer from Ramsgate station. Yours for an estimated £1,000,000,000 Roger; Manston, Olympic airport. Apparently, all the major airports in the area have been plying the 2012 Olympic committee since 2005, but Infratil turned its nose up as it thought it would be doing so much other business it wouldn't have time to fit some Olympians and worldwide press in. Fast forward to this year, and after BAWC said no thanks again, Manston owners asked Rog to blaze a trail to Seb Coe and friends offering Manston as the most secure airfield in the UK. Make that the most remote Roger, which has its drawbacks for obvious reasons. All of this trumpeting, and Manston is not even in his constituency!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNow, to the main thrust of Rog's airport escapades to make the Enemies of Ramsgate list. Roger presides over the completely dead town, once great seaside town of Margate. Its has had a lot to deal with over the past 30 years - People naffing off to Spain by the plane load (from airports other than Manston), dole-on-sea making some of the imported locals less than desirable, and years of mis-management by the incumbent councils. However the main problem with Margate has been these issues (and many others I'm sure) coupled with the demise of its main attraction - Dreamland. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs the local MP, you would expect our Rog to have been engaging with the owners, always in the press, raising questions in the house. But no - silence. Complete and utter silence over Dreamland. Did you know that Roger has not made one point, asked one question on the demise of Dreamland? The greatest travesty to bestow Margate, robbing it of between 700,000 and 2,000,000 visitors a year, starting a downward spiral where we now see no visitors, empty shops and tens of millions of our money being spent to bring a few thousand to see some modern art? Margate's representative in parliament says nothing.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNot one word. \u003cbr /\u003eNada.\u003cbr /\u003eNish. \u003cbr /\u003eZero.\u003cbr /\u003eA big fat nought. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eRoger knows the score though. This week in the Falklands, performing one of his many worthwhile tasks and visiting our troops. However, he still managed to find the time to take a swipe at the Government about investment in defences of the South Atlantic islands - \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style:italic;\"\u003e\"....we’re getting to the point where if we don’t invest money soon then it will be much more expensive later.\"\u003c/span\u003e Undoubtedly, very true indeed, and more of the same can be said on our troops all over the world. However, The same could have been said of Margate. If people had acted more quickly, or acted at all, things would have been much cheaper. Opportunity lost, and on his watch. All that money now being spent on Margate unnecessarily where town tax revenues from visitors could have remained high with investment much lower.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhy does this make Roger an enemy of Ramsgate? In the same period, Roger has made 9 comments about Manston and its virtues in Parliament. Manston which is not in his constituency, which overflys Ramsgate which is not in his constituency. Manston which flew 10,000 people last year. A great success, worth all the effort.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eShould that make him an Enemy of Margate as well?\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-1179779324006594826?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/1179779324006594826/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d1179779324006594826","title":"5 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1179779324006594826"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1179779324006594826"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/enemies-of-ramsgate-3-roger-gale.html","title":"Enemies of Ramsgate - #3 Roger Gale"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoHN1zvs3BI/AAAAAAAAAQs/aWReq-7fVKo/s72-c/would+the+last+person+to+leave+margate+please+turn+the+llight+out.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"5"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-967318188960138426"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-10T20:02:00.006+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-10T20:40:49.725+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"food for thought"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"kcc"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Thumbs down for food flights"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoB3FjjMKrI/AAAAAAAAAQc/2dwGI4PMYBM/s1600-h/fruit_festival_home.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 300px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoB3FjjMKrI/AAAAAAAAAQc/2dwGI4PMYBM/s400/fruit_festival_home.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368421693151521458\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnother shot in the arm for Manston's oh-so unsustainable business plan today from the Government and DEFRA today.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFood security - ensuring the UK's non-dependency on third parties - was the main topic of a launch of a study into what our food policy should look like up to 2030.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAutumn will be the release date of the review which will no doubt bring up our import, by unsustainable air freight, of fruits/produce out-of-season in the UK. The Government wish to start a debate on the dangers we have seen over the past couple of years where oil prices and droughts elsewhere in the world can have a serious effect on food prices here in Blighty.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs our beloved Thanet District Council and Kent County Council not only preside over a bustling bread/fruit/vegetable basket here in Kent, we also have the only hydroponic greenhouse in the UK, which alone has the potential to produce 10% of the UK's salad needs. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eCompare this with the fruit-only-freight Manston, whose business plan looks as safe as Grade II listed houses on Marina Drive with the ongoing global recession,oil price volatility and studies such as the one announced today.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eRest assured, you can bank on our councils taking all of this information into consideration when using our money to plan for the future. I am sure their policy of tarmacing/concreting over any top quality agricultural soil is the best way forward, considering Manston and Infratil will be able to provide cheap food from somewhere thousands of miles away while oil prices go through the roof and the world population jumps 50%.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eEach time you shop for food, ensure you read the label and pick something thats been grown close to home and is in season. Doing this will be a small step to ensuring our food and food habits have a sustainable future. Strawberries from Morocco in January are not sustainable. Neither are Mangoes from Pakistan all year round.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSpeak to your supermarket and tell them you want things grown locally. There is no reason why most things can't be.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eEnjoy your dinner.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8189549.stm\"\u003eClick here to read the report in BBC Online\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-967318188960138426?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/967318188960138426/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d967318188960138426","title":"12 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/967318188960138426"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/967318188960138426"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/thumbs-down-for-food-flights.html","title":"Thumbs down for food flights"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SoB3FjjMKrI/AAAAAAAAAQc/2dwGI4PMYBM/s72-c/fruit_festival_home.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"12"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-1088452530759853566"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-07T13:09:00.005+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-07T17:32:15.558+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"enemy of ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"supporters of manston who do no live under the flightpath"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Enemies of Ramsgate #2 - Supporters of Manston who do not live under the flightpath"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Why should ageing photographers from Margate, retired pilots from Westgate, or tory/Labour/Tory/Labour/Tory again Councillors from St Peters be involved in the decision making process of allowing planes to be flown at under 1,000 feet over the whole of Ramsgate?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWould they like it if Ramsgate residents wholeheartedly supported bail houses next door to them? It makes sense that prisoners have somewhere to go when released, somewhere they can be monitored. St Peters has a few large empty houses. It seems like the ideal place.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWould they like it if Ramsgate residents gave the thumbs up to Amusement arcades in Westgate. After all, kids need somewhere to hang around when its wet outside, and I'm sure they'd always leave quietly taking their litter with them. Plus groomers need somewhere dry to operate anyhow.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWould Margate residents be understanding if Ramsgate residents insisted that the best known seaside amusement park in the south of England was reduced to smoking embers to make way for a retail housing complex? After all, it had fallen down to a piffling 700,000 visitors each year, and Westwood Cross is oh so yesterday. We want some more shops please. Ikea. Gap. Maybe a John Lewis. House of Fraser. For those few occaisions you go shopping each year, just for the convenience you know? Save that trip up the road. I mean, why should I spend a couple of hours on the road when all I'm doing is stopping nearly a million people enjoying themselves and ruining a town?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor the same reason Ramsgate residents are not decision makers in these issues, supporters of Manston who are not overflown/affected by planes from the airfield have no right to decide whats good for the people underneath the flightpaths.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-1088452530759853566?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/1088452530759853566/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d1088452530759853566","title":"27 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1088452530759853566"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1088452530759853566"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/enemies-of-ramsgate-2-supporters-of.html","title":"Enemies of Ramsgate #2 - Supporters of Manston who do not live under the flightpath"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"27"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-8281302461643989470"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-06T09:13:00.006+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-06T11:47:22.269+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"high speed trains"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"kcc"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Manston"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"High speed rail to replace short haul flights"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Snqdfw6FfSI/AAAAAAAAAQU/5KQfD1PIxe8/s1600-h/Frances-V150-TGV-fast-tra-001.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Snqdfw6FfSI/AAAAAAAAAQU/5KQfD1PIxe8/s400/Frances-V150-TGV-fast-tra-001.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366775074995404066\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLord Adonis has plagiarised the Conservative policy on high speed rail in the UK and publicly stated that fast trains should replace domestic air travel here in Blighty. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIn yesterday and todays Guardian, multiple page spreads have detailed his proposals and outlined current services and future proposals for high speed rail in Europe and beyond.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhere the UK were pioneers in the railways, we now severely lack behind the rest of the world in getting from A to B, on the ground, city centre to city centre in double quick time. Spain, Italy, Switzerland Belgium and Poland all boast more high speed track that the Brits, as well as the usual suspects of France and Germany. The Dutch are the only other major European country lagging behind.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eA company called High Speed Two has been set-up to draw up plans and routes from London to Glasgow, taking in all major cities on the way Taking the recently installed Madrid to Barcelona line, 46% of air traffic has been taken by rail. 80% of traffic between Paris/Brussels is railway owned. Unsustainable short haul flights would be hugely reduced. Its estimated by the Chief Exec of the SNCF that Glasgow would be 3 hours to London, instead of the current 5 hours. 3 hours is the agreed cut off point that train travel becomes more attractive than air.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs High Speed One is now opening here, Kent residents already have enhanced transport links to the rest of the country. Where before you had to take a snail train to the south/central London stations and slog it across to the Euston Road for Northbound trains, you can now speed directly to the Derby/Leeds/Nottingham platforms at Euston. It already takes hours off a journey to these destination by taking London out of the equation.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe really interesting link up is the fast rail network in mainland Europe reached via the Eurostar. Cities across Europe, now accessible by high speed trains, there are real alternatives to flying.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eRichard Brown of Eurostart, writing a letter to the Guardian today, best sums up the broader picture.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"There will always be journeys for which flying is a more realistic option. But with employers wanting better punctuality and en route productivity, holiday makers seeking to enjoy the journey and not just the destination, and all of us needing to reduce our environmental impact, high speed rail has a very promising future.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSo with both main political parties talking the talk on fast trains, where does this leave Manston. Does their already shaky future look any rosier after Labours act of theft of Tory Policy? If you were KCC or TDC would you be putting all of your eggs in the airport basket when you've been gifted your own high speed rail link? \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again. Manston is the wrong way forward. The air industry has a very uncertain future. 10 years of close to nothing, £4,000,000 a year down the pan - our councils still blindly follow this deadbeat business. These tired old men need to be moved aside so a fresh, sensible future can be planned for Thanet.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/aug/05/lord-adonis-transport-secretary-rail\"\u003eClick here to read The Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-8281302461643989470?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/8281302461643989470/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d8281302461643989470","title":"6 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8281302461643989470"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/8281302461643989470"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/high-speed-rail-to-replace-short-haul.html","title":"High speed rail to replace short haul flights"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/Snqdfw6FfSI/AAAAAAAAAQU/5KQfD1PIxe8/s72-c/Frances-V150-TGV-fast-tra-001.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"6"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-1055736392553475383"},"published":{"$t":"2009-08-05T18:52:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-08-05T18:53:18.775+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"kent county council"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"enemy of ramsgate"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Enemies of Ramsgate - A New Series. #1 - Kent County Council"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnlDDUH0evI/AAAAAAAAAQM/KP7xyymgGr0/s1600-h/hero-filming.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 380px; height: 150px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnlDDUH0evI/AAAAAAAAAQM/KP7xyymgGr0/s400/hero-filming.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366394155208833778\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eApologies for residents of Herne Bay, St Nicholas, Acol and anywhere else overflown from Manston, but I wanted to keep the title simple. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThis and following posts will look at groups, individuals, places, items that collectively do their utmost to support Manston Airport and the ruination it will bring to Ramsgate (and other towns villages) if it becomes the freight/passenger airport it wants to be. Or half the airport it wants to be. Or a quarter the airport it wants to be.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI will look to explain why we think they are against us, keep it topical and hopefully shame those named to repent and join the good fight. These posts will also show that these are enemies of not just effected towns and villages, but the whole of Kent.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf anyone has any suggestions (I've got 8 total so far), feel free to email us.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSo, without further ado......\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKent County Council\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eNot content with;\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003esupporting Manston to 10,000,000 passengers per annum, 6,000,000 passenger per annum (depending on which page of their website you go to)\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eusing our money to throw down the Manston toilet by promoting flights to Kent, Virginia that never 'got off the ground'\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eusing pictures of the Royal Harbour Ramsgate, where 747's fly over at under 1,000 feet, in Visit Kent promotional material next to Council Leader Carters monologue on how good the airport will be for Kent\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003esupporting supposed job creating, dirty great warehouse and transport hubs in far flung, under funded corners or Kent, whilst snubbing them in their own leafy Maidstone backyard just because a field next to the M20 would be turned into sheds\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ehaving the audacity to vote themselves an 8% pay rise after their only notable achievement of their last 5 years was to throw £50,000,000 of our money down an Icelandic plughole (haven't seen any of it coming back yet Mr Gilroy?)\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e......the latest insult is the picture at the top of the posting. This is from KCC's website, promoting Filming in Kent. This is a film being made in Ramsgate, on a street I happen to know, which is being obviously being used for a period setting. Preserved Victorian streets are handy for such things. It just so happens this scene is RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE FLIGHTPATH TO MANSTON!. If the council had their wish, would filming on this street have been able to take place with planes coming over at under 600 feet, as they do here, every few minutes, all day, all night?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFor these reasons, and many countless others, Stop Manston Expansion Group names you , \u003cstrong\u003eKent County Council\u003c/strong\u003e, as our very first \u003cstrong\u003e\"Enemy of Ramsgate\".\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-1055736392553475383?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/1055736392553475383/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d1055736392553475383","title":"11 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1055736392553475383"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1055736392553475383"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/08/enemies-of-ramsgate-new-series-1-kent.html","title":"Enemies of Ramsgate - A New Series. #1 - Kent County Council"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnlDDUH0evI/AAAAAAAAAQM/KP7xyymgGr0/s72-c/hero-filming.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"11"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-1163542487747266088"},"published":{"$t":"2009-07-31T12:24:00.009+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-07-31T13:03:20.525+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"baa"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"BAWC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"infratil"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"kcc"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Air news round up"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnLc92hSd8I/AAAAAAAAAQE/8CUvyO4XKgU/s1600-h/mojave.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 244px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnLc92hSd8I/AAAAAAAAAQE/8CUvyO4XKgU/s400/mojave.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364593061316949954\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eInfratils Monthly report announces a 190% jump in freight at Manston in June 09 over last year. This is against falling passengers and freight at Prestwick (down 26% and 40% respectively), but growing numbers at Lubeck, up 37%. How it must hurt Infratil that the one airport that's doing so well is the only one they can be sure of selling. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLubecks great figures are set against a doom and gloom backdrop of European aviation. Passengers, freight down double digits across the board verses 2008, where 2008 was also down on 2007. Makes them all the more impressive. Makes you wonder what Infratil Airports Europe figures will look like when its just Prestwick and Manston.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eApparently the huge percentage rise at Manston was caused by a new operator, Allied Air of Nigeria, shipping more food from a starving continent to keep us fat Brits in the manner we are accustomed to. Additionally, remember when purchasing your fruit from a supermarket - if its come from Africa, Turkey, US, NZ/Aus, its more than likely been flown here, and therefore not sustainable in the long term. For short term profits for Infrastructure companies, its ideal.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.infratil.com/media/Email/infratil_newsletter_july2009.htm\"\u003eClick here to read the report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eBA have dropped another nut in the last quarter. £148m down the pan in the three months to June. With the outlook for BA's business plan looking bleak, and air passenger/freight numbers down across the board, last years losses of £400m loom large on the horizon. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOnly a few months ago, Infratil, TDC, KCC, Roger Gale, Steven Ladyman, Laura Sandys et al were singing the praises of BA as the \"type of company Thanet wanted to attract\". Money losing entities, with shot business plans and bleak outlooks - sounds EXACTLY the type of business our leaders have managed to attract over the past 20 years. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8177647.stm\"\u003eClick here to read the BBC report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFinally, BAA, owners of Manston rivals Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick (Matt Clarke/Paul Carters view, not mine/anyone half sensible) have announced half yearly losses of £550m, citing falling passenger numbers and drops in value of its terminals as the driver. With continuing uncertainty for the South East airports pending the Competition Commission's order for BAA to sell two of their three, Infratil will be watching how this plays out very carefully. They have purchased Manston with one eye on the London Market, hoping the UK Government will spend a small fortune of our money bringing it closer to the Capital. With public finances in the precarious position they are, I don't forsee any government spending  £1,000,000,000 to save 20 minutes journey time to a regional airport with a dubious commercial history. I don't see them spending £1,000.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight:bold;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1248858681.html\"\u003eClick here to read the Airwise report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-1163542487747266088?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/1163542487747266088/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d1163542487747266088","title":"10 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1163542487747266088"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/1163542487747266088"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/07/air-new.html","title":"Air news round up"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnLc92hSd8I/AAAAAAAAAQE/8CUvyO4XKgU/s72-c/mojave.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"10"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131239169244714216.post-6376448973760871888"},"published":{"$t":"2009-07-30T19:24:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-07-30T19:26:38.576+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"port ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"terence painter"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"prc"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TDC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"flightpath"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Exciting new development comes to Manston's flight path"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnHkX-2g65I/AAAAAAAAAP8/vUY52HqwRf4/s1600-h/ramsagte+4.png\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 120px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnHkX-2g65I/AAAAAAAAAP8/vUY52HqwRf4/s400/ramsagte+4.png\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\"id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364319731834743698\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs highlighted on \u003ca href\u003d\"http://thandotnet.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-are-council-not-telling-us.html\"\u003eThan.Net\u003c/a\u003e, Thanet Council (or is it SEEDA?) have asked the architects who gave us Royal Sands to provide some drawings for Port Ramsgate.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAs you can see from the above picture, a rather large group of buildings topped by a 'skyscraper' protruding over the Westcliff somewhat has been placed right in front of the old Motor Museum.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI wonder when us great unwashed of Ramsgate will get to hear officially of such grand schemes? Probably after the planning permission has been granted, no doubt.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe council mare coming up with these developments but not really thinking things through. Firstly, it protrudes over the top of the cliff. I'd say the regency building behind the cliff should continue with the view they have had for a couple of hundred years. Secondly, they ruin any value in such developments by supporting night flights, 24/7 operation, 6,000,000 passengers a year, 300,000 tonnes of freight and the hundreds of flights each day/night those people/cargo will bring. \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWho is going to fork out £500,000+ for a penthouse when all it means is you will be able to see the whites of the pilots eyes? How will Terence Painter shift another group of apartments on a flightpath?\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1131239169244714216-6376448973760871888?l\u003dstopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/feeds/6376448973760871888/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d1131239169244714216\u0026postID\u003d6376448973760871888","title":"6 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6376448973760871888"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1131239169244714216/posts/default/6376448973760871888"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com/2009/07/exciting-new-development-comes-to_30.html","title":"Exciting new development comes to Manston's flight path"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Steve Higgins @ SMEG"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"07420951650649404347"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUlN84_PCa4/SnHkX-2g65I/AAAAAAAAAP8/vUY52HqwRf4/s72-c/ramsagte+4.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"6"}}]}});