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Representation ID: 92998

Received: 10/07/2018

Respondent: Mr Keith Nunn

Airborne particulates from proposed gravel workings at Fritton
You will have previous correspondence from myself as Chairman of the Parish Council. However, I write this note in another capacity, namely that of retired RAF A1 flying instructor and fellow of the RAF Central Flying School. When I left the RAF I became the licence examiner for the area and can still lecture in Principles of Flight and Meteorology. I have for the past thirty years had a private airstrip which runs north-south parallel to New Road, approx. 400 metres to the east. By dint of these qualification and experience I feel well-placed to state a view on the behaviour of near-surface airflow across our local rural landscape.
I wish to make some points in connection with the proposed mineral development in the Waveney Forest and Bretts proposal, which is flawed in so many ways: -
The wind rose offered from Hemsby is incorrect. Hemsby is eleven miles north-north-east of Fritton and on the coast. It is subject to the 'sea breeze' effect which, due to uneven convection and geostrophic force introduces a south easterly component during the day, strongest in summer. Hence the Hemsby wind rose will reflect more of a southerly component that the wind at Fritton. In the south-westerlies that usually prevail across the UK, the wind at Fritton will in general have a greater westerly component than that at Hemsby, assuming a typically south-westerly winds flow.
Under these prevailing south-westerlies, Waveney Forest is to the windward of New Road and my airstrip. Any pilot will tell you that, due to the laminar flow of air being disturbed by an obstacle, and trees in particular, eddies are produced downwind thereof. These eddies can clearly be seen in smoked wind tunnels. This results in rotor turbulence and to fly at low level downwind of a group of trees is both uncomfortable and dangerous - refer to sketch below.
The effect is so marked at Fritton that I would only allow very few experienced pilots and never students to use my airstrip when the wind was in the west.
The majority of Fritton residents live along New Road, which is orientated North-South to the East of the (non-tarmac) access road for the proposed gravel quarry at Fritton Woods.
The developers have suggested that a tree screen to the west and a bund all to the east of this access road are sufficient to shield New Road residents from the dust and noise associated with extraction operations and heavy transport movements along the access road.
It is my contention that, under prevailing westerlies, both noise and dust particles, far from being filtered out, would form a vortex, the turbulent section encompassing the New Road houses, hence defeat the attempted screening.
Quite apart from the nuisance value of noise and dust to residents of this currently tranquil location, I am aware of residents along New Road with respiratory health issues for whom such elevated levels of fine airborne particulates would be potentially disastrous.
The public are now well aware of the danger of minute 2.5 micron particulates, which our late world renowned expert, Dr Van Steenis, told you previously would stick in the lungs and cause difficultly. He also said that if the dust mixed with the overhead HT cables there was a danger they would become ionised and eventually be lethal. Dr Van Steenis using mortality data was way ahead of previous projects and have since found to be vindicated in so many areas.
I would ask that you consider these common-sense observations along with the contrary, but non-accountable representations of the developers.