The future of Woodford and its aircraft

Needs English Heritage badgering, otherwise we would have been badgering German Heritage.

well said that just about sums it up.I think we should push hard to ensure that the original AVRO Hangar is preserved in some way and moved to a site where it will be preserved if need be.This must be one of the very few hangars of this period left after the ones at Hooton Park and must surely warrant being Listed by English heritage.A grading of 1 or 2 would ensure its safety for the long term.

It is disgusting that it may be pulled down and I for one would support a petition to the local authority and English heritage if need be .

I do not know the process for raising one on line as i must confess to being a computer illiterate. We had a big push and fund raise on this forum to save one of the last HS748 aircraft.So in the same vein lets do something to make people aware of the plight of this piece of history. Lets have a campaign to save this hangar for posterity not a landfill !!!!!!.

Just one example I am not advocating this as a solution but just a for if; Elvington are looking for and trying to fund raise for a new hangar to go next to their main one.A historic hangar would be very nice in place and used for its purpose historic aircraft.If nothing could be found or done. Willing to put time in to help with any moving dismantling if it ever got that far.

Mike E

www.aircraftrestorationgroup.webs.com

Needs English Heritage badgering, otherwise we would have been badgering German Heritage.

The drawings show the “heritage” area next to the new fire station which is next to the CAE simulator building. It shows the Vulcan and er…. that’s it but I suppose we should be grateful for anything. ( I wonder where the AVRO triplane replica that is at the old fire station will go)
The new firestation is indeed a larger area but not very historical 15-20 years old? I suspect all flight sheds will be pulled down – the original hangar is from the 1920s and it is sad that it could not be incorporated into future plans. The original AVRO hangar could be moved I suppose – it was moved from Alexandra Park anyway.
What concerns me is the amount of greenbelt land that is going to be built on. How does that get passed?

After seeing how they treated a couple of their staff, I wouldn’t trust a thing the Banfords said or did.

Re the told you so comment I am sorry if it offended but a number of us at the time call us sceptics made similar comments as we have heard this sort of thing before from developers and planners who then don’t keep to agreements and promises because it does not meet there financial targets.

Back to the Heritage centre guys and girls.
Its very sad if they are to be squeezed into the fire station area as initially as I understand from one of the guys involved they had been promised the original AVRO Hangar on the very far side of the field to the back of the Flight sheds area that had been used originally when I was there many moons ago by the gliding club.

It seems again the plans for the “Heritage”of woodford to be preserved are being kicked in the goolies in the name of money.I had been told they had offers of a number of exhibits and things looked very good for a heritage centre tracing the sites history and key role during WW2 and since.

As I said if anyone knows the site the factory fire station next to the Vulcan is very restricted and does not give them much to use.If it was the modern Fire station area out on the airfield flight shed side of the runway then they would have a more user friendly site allbeit modern and not the historic area we had understood they had been promised.

A very worrying trend on historic airfields I understand a couple of other sites where developers have promised space for heritage museums etc .they have gone back on their word .

I do hope they rethink the plan and allow the guys working hard at Woodford to have the old AVRO hangar as originally promised even if it probably will end being the only part of the site to survive at least it will be something to show what this very historic site once was and what it contributed to the defense of the nation.

I think it should be law that planners and developers have to take into consideration a historic sites significance and that something has to be done large or small to record on site the facts by either some form of monument or museum heritage/visitors centre.

Mike E

www.aircraftrestorationgroup.webs.com

www.whirlwindfighterproject.org

Look like heritage centre to be located where fire station is with Vulcan outside?

http://woodfordgardenvillage.co.uk/websitefiles/Woodford_CONSULTATION_BOARDS_revC.pdf

On this thread? Your post seems to have disappeared.

None of us take take any satisfaction in a “told you so” sort of attitude. Many of us could see what AVRO Heritage were about and hoped for the best but feared the worst.
Affordable houses are needed in the area but I hoped something of the heritage of the site could be maintained. We’ll see.

early on in this thread when things first mentioned about JC Bamford calling themselves Hertiage to get the go ahead to purchase the site.I seem to recall making the comment that they only wanted it for housing and it was dismissed.

Sorry to say I told you so !!!!! JCB used the Heritage name as an in and dont give a toss about the real heritag eof the site only pound signs. !!!!!

Mike E:diablo::diablo::diablo::diablo:

The group who bought Woodford have taken the title ‘Avro Heritage Limited’.

The links I put up go to the preservation group on site ‘Avro Heritage Group’.

Confusing? Yes.

More bits and bobs here:

http://www.onsidepr.com/category/woodford-aerodrome

re;

the article says Avro heritage plan to build houses, there must be a mix up?

At the last I heard, yes, with the Vulcan to be part of it.

http://www.avroheritage.com/

http://www.avroheritage.com/Avro%20Heritage%20Goup%20News.html

re;

they call themselves heritage, yet all they want to do is build on it! Is there any hope of a heritage centre?

News:

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1531969_1000-houses-school-and-pub-plan-for-home-of-the-nimrod-at-former-bae-site-in-woodford

900 odd homes. Waiting for more info to be released.

I think the business rate exemption has been reduced to just six months, which is why a lot of buildings are being demolished these days. If a quick sale cannot be arranged, perhaps the demolition gangs will be in at Woodford as well.

Empty buildings pay no rates

Buildings with a Vulcan in them pay rates at the standard level…..

Bruce

If it could be moved….

As far as I was aware, all of the buildings at Woodford are being closed to await the decision on the future of the site. They may be in this state for years to come.
There was due to be surprise as far as XM603 is concerned but I haven’t heard anything so far…..

The New Assembly hall is nearly 3/4 mile long and to see it empty now is very sad. When I started at Woodford, there was a 146 line on one side, the ATP line on the other and a line of Buccaneers in the middle undergoing mods. Happy days.

Thought I’d point out this thread as a reminder of what we had.

Woodford photos

You know what is the most upsetting is that this giant hangar sits there and there would be bags of room to house the vucan..

More info about the future here:

http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/business/regeneration/tcandmajordev/woodfordbaesite?view=Standard

http://www.woodfordcommunity.co.uk/news.htm#1

http://www.futurewoodford.co.uk/

Fascinating video thank you, I’ve always wanted to see inside there.

What an awful waste of a building like that, will the world one day be anything but houses and tescos?

Thanks for the memories Woodford!

MH

A sad day, and a great shame that the Vulcan couldn’t have been organised to have been the last move at Woodford, even a 146 would have looked better than a PA28!