Businesses concerned about ‘serious impact’ of no growth at Gatwick

The Crawley, Horsham and Gatwick Branch of the Federation of Small Businesses has said expanding Heathrow would have a detrimental impact on this area.
Gatwick AirportGatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport

Ann Swain, Chair of the local FSB Branch, said, on behalf of our members and other small businesses in the area, ‘we are disappointed with the announcement by the Davies Commission in support of expansion at Heathrow Airport’.

She said: “We feel they have under-estimated the impact on large numbers of residents in SW London of noise, air pollution and traffic.

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“Our direct concern for our local economy is the risk that the inward investment that Gatwick Diamond Initiative, the local authorities and others have worked so hard to bring to the area will reverse and investment will gradually move towards Heathrow. This will have a serious impact on small businesses, not only those in the supply chains but those that work for the employees of those companies – the cleaners, gardeners, electricians, plumbers etc. No change is not an option in circumstances like this.

“We need to ensure that young people have a thriving local economy in which they can find good employment opportunities both now and in the future. If the local economy fades they will commute or move away to the long term detriment of the area.”

“In the long-term probably both options will be needed but we feel Gatwick should be the first. Above all we want the period of uncertainty to be as short as possible.”

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