North Weald Threatened

We’ve already lost Radlett, Leavesden and Hatfield

Not to mention Bovingdon, Weybridge, Wisley, Croydon, with Panshanger under serious threat yet again. It always amazes me that the NIMBYs and others who should know better have no conception of the value of local airfields, e.g. flying training etc, and yet would be the first to complain if they couldn’t fly off for their fortnight in the sun because there were no pilots!

All my letters of protest sent, and fingers crossed.

Sent my letter today; it’s all we can do – it may have an effect, it may not. Nothing’s set in stone until the bulldozers arrive, so just keep on trying. We’ve already lost Radlett, Leavesden and Hatfield, the Weald is the last site with a good length runway in this area where this kind of activity could continue.

What about Paul White’s title then? If he’s the Director of Landscape Planning and HERITAGE then let’s see him do something about our heritage!

Time will tell, folks…..

Yes i got the same e-mail. The reply i expected really, Trying to pass on responsibility and blind us with corporate cr*p.

At least it seems we will get more chances to support our cause.

Received an email yesterday with a bog standard reply in word format. Those who do not have this on their PC’s the letter has been copied below.

I was at the market today and what a nice day too. Plenty of aircraft on the deck and flying. Gnat, Provost and a couple of Yaks, all this will be lost if the housing goes ahead.

18 September 2003

[email]info@atkinsglobal.com[/email]
www.atkinsglobal.com/dee

Dear Sir/Madam

Harlow Options Study: Draft Final Report

Thank you for your email setting out your response to the Harlow Options Study: Draft Final Report.

The Harlow Options Study is one in a series of studies that has been commissioned to inform preparation of new regional planning guidance by the Regional Assembly. The Study Report is a component in this process but does not make any decisions itself. The Study will also be considered as part of a wider study of the Stansted/M11 corridor, which is due to report in October.

Your comments, along with those of other respondents, will be compiled in a schedule, and discussed and analysed within a separate commentary. This information will be set out and considered alongside the Study Report, to inform the deliberations of the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) as it prepares the Regional Planning Guidance for the East of England (RPG14) in the autumn. Following submission to Government in March 2004, there will be a further opportunity to make views known on draft regional planning guidance. A Public Examination is programmed for October 2004.

Yours faithfully,
For and on behalf of
WS Atkins Consultants Ltd

Paul White
Director, Planning Landscape and Heritage

Has anyone else had a reply to their letters or emails??

BP

😡 😡 😡

Thanks Moggy for your posts. They help to put things in context.

The important thing for everyone to remember is that this is just the start of a very prolonged campaign. Letters will have to be written at various stages, and we’ll do our best to keep you all fully informed.

A lot is already going on behind the scenes. I hope many of you can get to NW for the Flypast Fly-in days next month – that’s another practical thing to show your support! Four P51s should be in attendance if everything goes according to plan.

Thanks to everyone who has written so far.

YR

No problem Chris.

2D is a guy of huge intellect and experience. I’d trust his assessment implicitly, certainly over that of local media jounalists.

Me? I’d have had the same response as you did.

But it is important that we send the necessary letters at every stage, so I’m pleased I sent mine Friday

Keep writing guys! :rolleyes:

Moggy

Sorry if i sounded a bit irrate Moggy, but i was reacting to the plea put forward by the North Weald users website who understandibly, from their point of view are a taking this matter very seriously.
By writing ‘Atkins’ a letter, I just wanted to express my objections to the relevant parties involved in these proposals.
However, i have read your entire post and it does read from a more optimistic angle i agree.
Saying this, it was on the national news last night and it sounded as if the place was doomed. In the credit of the news report, it did put forward a good case for the airfield explaining historical importance and home to biggest outdoor market(lol!). It also showed some nice footage of the ex-Gilmour Mustang… hmmmm.
Anyway, i know we can’t write with an expert opinion on housing etc, but i’m sure we’ll do our best expressing the airfields cultural heritage as a historical aviation site and home to many keen aviators and aircraft.

Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn into the Kings Hill Estate of Harlow.

😡

Calm down a bit

I apologise in advance for cross-posting from another forum but the counsel here from wiser brains than mine might be of some interest to you.

My good chum 2 Donkeys wrote:

“I would strongly suggest that you read the report before writing. You could devalue your protest if you simply rely on the account as published in the Squadron note.”

For those who haven’t the time or stamina to read it, he then goes on to précis the current report.

“You will note that the airfield is not under immediate threat from this report’s findings (One of the reasons that I suggested reading it before writing).

The digest form of the report is this.

1) Loads of people are going to need to live in and around Harlow

2) This will require new transport infrastructure and a load of new houses

3) But Harlow sits in the greenbelt

4) So we’d better start by developing on brownfield sites, one of which is the airport at North Weald

5) However, NW airport has relatively little in the way of mass-passenger transport infratstucture so a tube line extension would ideally be required. Developing on the airfield is not viable without approval for this spend.

6) Even if NW and the other brownfield sites are employed in this way, some greenbelt land will still need to be grabbed to meet development requirements.

7) The timeline for all of this is a projected growth path between now and 2021. Many hurdles would need to be jumped before any specific development gets the go-ahead. “

The Three Old Ladies add

“The report provides background for the formulation of regional planning guidance. The regional guidance will be subject to public consultation in Spring next year. It is not clear yet just precisely what this regional guidance will contain. It is likely however to contain some of the matters raised in the Atkins report.

If we may suggest- comments from aviators should keep to aviation matters. There is little merit in making subjective comments on detailed matters that have been prepared by ‘experts’. Comments from aviators should be along the lines of the historical relevance of NW, its unique atmosphere for aviators, its significance to current general aviation, location close to London, absence of other similar airfields (2 long runways) in the southeast etc.

The report authors should be made aware of its significance to general aviation. Spring next year will provide another opportunity to comment, on specific proposals.”

I hope this helps some.

Moggy

I have sent my letter, and i suggest those who also object to this proposal and wish to see North Weald survive, write one immediately and send it!

WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL 1ST AUGUST!
– sorry for shouting, but i for one do not wish to see NW make way for more congested dwellings and endless roads!:mad: 😡

Write now! Save North Weald!
The more voices, the better.

Thank you

Originally posted by pimpernel

Trust the MP’s concerned not to have an email address..!!
I will send these via normal post as they are in recess at the moment.
😡 😡

BP

Others may find this site very useful

http://faxyourmp.com/

By entering the Effing Council CM16 4BZ postcode you can direct a fax to the local MP. Her statistics show that she replies to over 60% of them within 14 days.

My snail-mail letters have gone off today.

Moggy

Actually, the report was commissioned “as a background technical document to assist the preparation of draft Regional Planning Guidance for the East of England (RPG14) by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA).”

Atkins are looking at development of the whole Harlow area. North Weald is just one part of the plan.

They admit themselves that “in the Transport and Regeneration Led Corridors options the development of the North Weald Bassett site is dependent on the construction of the new public transport link from Epping to Harlow via North Weald Bassett in the sense that the development of this site without a public transport link would run counter to the philosophy underlying this development option. Without this transport link the housing and employment uses on the site would be car dependent and, therefore, less suitable.”

This is a big ‘if’. They estimate that the cost of the link would be £33 million.

North Weald could have a bigger role to play if there was some investment in navaids and the airfield was licenced. It has a big advantage over Stapleford in the longer runway and hangerage and has far better fire cover. The biggest aircraft that can get in and out of Stapleford is a King Air – certainly no jets! NW is also closer to existing transport links into central London from Epping or Harlow or via the M11.

The fact that it is under the Stansted zone isn’t necessarily a hindrance either. It is off to one side, and if Northolt can operate successfully so close to Heathrow in Class A airspace, NW could do the same in Class D. There is no reason why Essex Radar couldn’t act as an approach service in the same way the Thames Radar (LCY) does for Biggin Hill.

Epping Council are bound to balance likely income from keeping the airfield open to a one-off windfall from developers. But they also have a duty to provide resources for the community. NW hosts many activities for local people that are not aviation-related.

Rochester Airport recently beat off a concerted council attack to close that airfield. If we stand by and do nothing, it will close. If we make our voices heard, there is a chance to keep it open.

YR

Don’t blame Atkins, they’re just the consultant employed by the client (Epping Forest DC). The problem with North Weald is that it’s too close to Stansted and Stapleford for sustained aviation/GA and is a large chunk of land that brings little revenue into Epping’s coffers. You only have to see what has happened to Ipswich Airport to know that there is little hope of salvation. As for the historic aspect, the existing airfield is largely post-war and so stands little chance of gaining any protected status. Brownfield sites such as this are favoured by the planners as you just replace one type of nuisance with something less contentious.

My emails were sent today, cant trust the mail these days what with the 1st August deadline.

Paul White of Atkins Design Environment & Engineering is on leave at the moment and not returning until the following Monday.

Trust the MP’s concerned not to have an email address..!!
I will send these via normal post as they are in recess at the moment.

I hope the campaign goes well in favour of keeping the field intact.

😡 😡

BP

My letters are going in the post-box tomorrow. I hope it does some good.

Dezz

Well done Yakrider, for bringing this threat to our attention. I have written my letters.

Eddy. That’s exactly the point I made in my letter.

I flew past Bovingdon, Leavesden and Hatfield last week. Each was closed for redevelopment, which hasn’t happened – apart from the prison built on part of the Bovingdon site. Hatfield just looks a mess.

The other point to remember is that NW is a community resource. Apart from normal GA flying and maintenance there is gliding, model flying, autosports and driver training, the market and other specialist sales and fares, warehousing etc etc. All the consultants seem to have done is find open spaces that can be classed as ‘brownfield’ and seen how many houses they can put on each.

Yak 11 Fan. One hangar has recently been gone up in the corner where the Sea Vixen used to be. The doors have got to be put on, but it is in use. I should imagine the people who put it up are feeling mighty fed up about this.

What is really scandalous is the short period to get in any protests and comments. Anyone who has the stamina to read the whole report will find it incredibly repetitive. Doubtless Atkins were paid thousands to produce it.

One slightly different slant in writing may be to argue for investment at North Weald to develop it as a corporate/bizjet airfield. The government has said that aviation should be considered as part of any regional transport mix, so it is a legitimate response which would help keep it open and used more (as income from the airfield must be of concern to Epping Forest Council, who can now see the possibility of getting milions from the developers).

YR

looks like north weald airfield is going to have the same fate as West Malling and that airfield was supposedly “Protected” from redevelopment.

This interests me, I understand that one new hanger has recently been put up and another is under negotiation with the council for a 7 year lease. However I will be writing my letter this evening. Harlow itself would be a better place for redevelopment starting with a large explosion.

a similar thing may happen here in the north west at Barton aerodrome (Manchester), salford council want to turn it into a major airport with a freight rail link, it is the only grass strip aerodrome still in use or maybe even surviving in the NW ! opened in 1930.