HELP NEEDED NOW TO SAVE NORTH WEALD

Thanks Dezz and everyone else who has pledged their support.

I hate this building on airfields BS “we need more homes in the south east” they cry…..well maybe we do, however, and I use west malling as an example…..about the cheapest place you will find there is around two hundred and sixty thousand pounds!! Not exactly housing for the masses is it?, more like someone is making a big wedge of cash out of it. The residents of west malling who complained about the two days a year, when a airshow was on, about the noise and traffic congestion now have to put up with twice the amount every day, with people going to and from home and work, as I don’t think anyone who works at kings hill can afford to live there. We also have, near here, chatham dockyard and the “wonderful” st marys island housing estate, again not many locals can afford a place there, almost every one I have met who lives there has come down from London, and goes back there every day to work, the same goes for brown field housing estate sites in Sittingbourne. I think that The thing that drives these sort of developments is not the “lets build more homes for people” its “build there, no ones gonna complain about that, and we will make a shed load of money out of it …oh yeah… don’t forget to call one of the roads spitfire way just to make every one think we care about what it used to be” . I view all airfields as important national…….i cant find the right word here…treasures??…..to be viewed in the same light as Bosworth, Naseby and Hastings… hey there’s a idea….its only a crumbling old castle thing.. lets knock the ba$tard down stick up some houses…five-hundred thousand each??? Oh..yeah… don’t forget to call it Harold II way……… Can you imagine the out cry?.
I feel sure that going down the road of securing them as places of national importance is the right, and maybe the only thing to do. SE5AFAN you have my full support and I will help in any way I can.
Dezz

Hi All,

Well I’m not sure how the UNSECO Laws work in the UK, may I suggest you guys have the local Historical trust to show you all the items.

If I can I will do what ever I can do to help you. If you like I can draft a letter and send it to the above people stating that NW could fall under UNESCO WWII Laws.

Cheers
RER

These small airfields are worth preserving. Halfpenny Green and Caernarfon airfields have become important resources to their local communities. Housing estates generate nothing for their local areas. I have no doubt that any noise that the users of the airfield create are nothing complared to the problems associated with a housing estate. The way to solve the housing problems of the SE might lie in regenerating urban areas. How many of those struggling to buy homes in the SE will be able to afford homes on this new estate?

As for North Weald being active, ok it is not a thriving commercial airfield, but you only have to live where I do to witness the regular activity that goes on from there.
Ok the survival of North Weald is not all about aviation as most of you know but from our point of view it is. For example Kennet have recently moved there as have Peter Tiechman, and Aces High have been there since year dot.
So it concerns me as to where for example these people would go, they can’t all move to Duxford.
Also from a personal view I like to think of it as my local Battle of Britain airfield. I dread to think to think of it being lived on by a load of people who probably couldn’t give a toss.

So come on Ladies and Gents lets get those letters and emails sent.

Leornato,
There will be local protests over this plan believe me!.
Yes, there is a need for housing but the EERA and John Prescott really do need to think again about the alternatives without loss to green belt land.
I think there is a directive in force that limits new homes beneath existing flightpaths, The EERA dont seem to have taken North Weald or the old airfield at Hunsdon into consideration about this, especially Hunsdon , this is the proposed site for 25,000 new homes . Hunsdon lies directly under the flight path into Stansted.
Add to this a poor infrastructure regarding roads, IE: the one and only M11 junction at Harlow and the A414, ask anyone who tries to leave or enter Harlow during the ever extending peak times, let alone vehicles from the many thousands of new homes planned for this area, and they will be exiting Harlow for work because the industry to support the development is simply non existant in the area.

Admitidly maybe not thriving in the middle of a cold, wet winters day but most weekends are fairly busy, as for the rest just have a peak at the Heritage lottery funds website.

Denis,

No problem whatsoever with the wealthy individuals who own warbirds, without them there would be no warbird movement. I was just trying to apply a bit of a perspective on North Weald and to see the place in the cold light of day.

As to it’s present local use, well, if ALL those users are keen to keep the place as it is, and local residents opposed to developments had better start making a case to the present owners or it WILL end up as a domestic development, after all there is a crying need for housing in the South East and it is classed as a brownfield site and development IS to be centred on brownfield sites, QED?
Sorry but I just don’t think it is as important as some are making out.

Wasn’t there a ground swell of local opinion against aircraft noise? Wasn’t that why the Vulcan was canned as a display item one year after local complaints? Are you sure there is a MAJORITY of local residents who want to preserve it as an airfield?

Nighthawk,

Is it a thriving airfield, is it REALLY? I would love to see it remain if it is, I just don’t think it is, sorry.

As to the truth hurting, sorry I won’t dignify such racist rubbish with a reply.

I just don’t believe what i have read, Leornato even if you are remotely interested in aviation then surely you would want to save an active thriving airfield, yet alone one which has a major place in British History such as North Weald. As to saying it is ‘unviable’ as an airshow location, then does that mean Old Warden is ‘unviable’ as well as that is just along the road from Duxford as well. And as for Ewan’s remarks about some religious building does the truth hurt! 😡 😡 😡

Just how significant or useful is North Weald?

It is home to the North Weald Museum, provides a working base for quite a few Aviation related company’s, provides a home for a very large weekend market, operating base for a large Import / Export commercial company, Driver training, Storage and distribution, Local Model flying club and I dare say quite a bit more.
Without me sounding offhand, you seem to have a bit of a problem with the “wealthy individuals” who are lucky to fly from an historic airfield like North Weald,
So the gist of what you are saying is that you dont mind seeing houses on the airfield or anywhere else that has a history surrounding it but we people who live near the area cant have a say?.
enlighten me please

Ewan Hoozarmy,

“And yet if it was a religious temple of some dodgy sect, then I’m sure it would stay!!!!”

What a ridiculous zenophobic racist thing to say. It’s also total rubbish!

Just how significant or useful is North Weald? There is virtually nothing left of it’s wartime days, it is not exactly over used as an airfield, it’s proximity to Duxford makes it unviable as an airshow location, it’s proximity to Stanstead makes it unviable as an airfield with any sort of intensive flying at it. It has been abandoned by the RAF since the mid 1960’s, was virtually derelict and disused for years, and now provides a home for a small number of warbirds for the use of wealthy private individuals and something called “The Squadron” that exists in totally unrepresentative buildings, ironically enough it is sited right next to some fighter pen remains that no-one has made any attempt to restore or preserve and on event days are used to park caravans and the like in.

After all, every operational airfield that existed in 1940 in the South part of England is a “Battle of Britain” airfield, you can’t preserve them all for what was a very brief moment of history, preserve their memory by all means, but to keep them as they were is just not possible.

Don’t forget that just up the M11 you have a wonderful example of a fully preserved Battle of Britain airfield with a far more distinguished history and a thriving museum and warbird presence, is it at all feasible to have two so close together?

Good luck with efforts to oppose this unacceptable development – I’ll certainly lend my support to the campaign.

Very interested to hear of the suggestion/question that NW may be eligible for protection under ‘UNESCO WW2 protected site status’ – can Crazymainer perhaps say more about this legislation? I for one have never heard of it – at least in a WW2 context – and I’ve been involved in efforts to protect UK airfield buildings for more than 20 years….

Note: unless some of the fighter pens are Scheduled Monuments, I doubt that any surviving buildings at North Weald are currently protected against demolition. I shall try and check up on this question anyway.

I consider North Weald to be historically important – it was after all a Battle of Britain Airfield.

Unfortunately, so was West Malling….now a collection of executive houses, and also Hawkinge, also a mass of new housing. Hornchurch, Gravesend and several others are all now history, buried under housing..

As far as property developers and local councils are concerned, why let emotions and national heritage get in the way of a fantastic money making opportunity? Lets face it, North Weald is well drained, has got good rail and road links, and is full of ‘those noisy aeroplanes’ which everybody hates until they want to go on holiday!! And just think of the revenue from all the residents councils taxes?

I’m as pi$$ed off as anyone that yet another airfield seems destined for the chop. Yet despite campaigns, local opposition and public inquiries, the hard facts are that “Real estate” is valuable & Property Developers and politicians dont really give two hoots about heritage. And yet if it was a religious temple of some dodgy sect, then I’m sure it would stay!!!!

The country HAS finally gone down the pan!

on November the 14th I posted under the “West Malling has gone!” thread about housing plans for both North Weald and Hunsdon airfields .

North Weald has not escaped either, I read of plans for 6,000 houses to be built there as well.

North Weald has suffered threats of Development for quite some time, the first plans to emerge was for gravel extraction and the building of a huge waste incinerator. Luckily these got squashed , but everyone near here will suffer from the unelected East Of England Regional Authourity. this is no more than a puppet of John Prescotts office and will stop at nothing to see Harlow expanded across the M11 into North Weald and Northwards into neighbouring Hertfordshire obliterating the nearby villages of Gilston, Hunsdon (including the former airfield) and Eastwick.

Unfortunatly the likes of a certain Mr Prescott and a certain Epping Council are not interested in any historical importance 😡

I know its sad to say most people just don’t care about our History 😡 Its in the past, My 14 yr old son who does’nt live with me could’nt tell me who Sir Winston Churchill was 🙁 Were losing are History its makes you think what the brave people who died for this country did it all for :confused:
I wish you good luck.

Cheers
Rob……

Unfortunatly the likes of a certain Mr Prescott and a certain Epping Council are not interested in any historical importance 😡

SE5AFAN,

Correct me if I’m wrong but you don’t have to have their support if you instigate an UNSECO claim.

Cheers
RER

Unfortunatly the likes of a certain Mr Prescott and a certain Epping Council are not interested in any historical importance 😡

I consider North Weald to be historically important – it was after all a Battle of Britain Airfield. I’m sure others can add more to it’s history.

JC

Hello Sir,

Question how Hisroric is North Weald, I mean can it be consider under UNSECO WWII protected site rules.

If so then I would look into it. Even if you can’t I would make a big stink that you are looking into being declared an UNSECO site this might just be enought to make them back off.

Good Luck and you have a Yanks support

RER