Lifted this off Wings Over Warwickshire (Google Groups) in case of interest.
ONE of the last remaining pieces of Croydon Airport’s history will be preserved if plans to open an aircraft museum get off the ground.
John Power is behind the ambitious scheme to convert an empty airport hangar, which used to house a Ford car parts factory.
The chairman of the Westmead Business Group has been responsible for the restoration of Airport House, the terminal, in Purley Way.
He also helped with the preservation of the airport’s control tower and upgraded the Aerodrome Hotel.
Mr Power wants to use the 1920s hangar as a civil aircraft history museum, as well as a heliport and a home for hi-tech business units.
However, Costco Wholesale UK has a deal with Ford to buy the land – provided it gets planning consent for a huge warehouse development.
Costco would demolish the remaining hangar and replace it with a single-storey 13,000 square metre building,include a tyre sale unit, in-house baker, butcher’s, photo-processing plant and a cafe.
Mr Power,who has objected to the plan, said: “The traffic implications of another warehouse would be tremendous. Purley Way would be chock-a-block at weekends.”
http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0225croydon/tm_headline=airport-museum-plan-hangars-in-balance&method=full&objectid=19175899&siteid=53340-name_page.html#story_continue
I don’t know any more – or if thare is anything we can do (writing to Croydon Council?)
Roger Smith.
By: bexWH773 - 24th May 2007 at 12:19
“Purley Way would be chock-a-block at weekends”
Hmm Ive seen traffic jams from Purley right the way down the A23 to Ikea before now. So I hope this guy pulls off what he wants as theres enough warehouses and shops down there, about time some history got remembered in Croydon. Also, theres been enough new business ventures that have gone belly up along there too.
As for Croydon COuncil, well, its worth a try to help him out. Bex
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May 24, 2007 at 12:12 pm