New moves in fight over future of Norfolk’s former RAF Coltishall airbase
By Alex Hurrell
Monday, July 2, 2012
10:06 PM
A dogfight for ownership of former Battle of Britain base RAF Coltishall looked set to continue to the bitter end at a parish council meeting.
Norfolk County Council, the preferred bidder of site owners the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was “within weeks” of exchanging contracts, Coltishall Parish councillors heard.
But rival for the base Bruce Giddy said his Hans House Group of Companies intended re-establishing itself as the MoJ’s preferred bidder as soon as possible.
The meeting, attended by about 30 members of the public, heard from Mr Giddy and Mike Jackson, Norfolk County Council’s director of environment, transport and development.
He said the council had stepped in after waiting in vain for six years hoping that a suitable buyer would develop the 600-acre site.
Mr Jackson revealed that the council had offered the MoJ “less than the typical price for agricultural land in Norfolk” and stressed that councillors believed the outlay would be recouped in the medium to long-term.
The county controversially proposes digging up the runway, turning much of the site back to agricultural use, developing some housing and attracting businesses into the old technical buildings.
Mr Giddy’s plans for the site include establishing Britain’s largest solar farm, “restrained” use of the airfield, and developing an aircraft museum and heritage centre.
Parish councillors agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting at a later date to discuss the issue.
Among their worries was the route of an estimated 30,000 lorries carrying runway hardcore for recycling as road aggregate.
Parish councillor Keith Childerhouse was concerned at the number of vocal Badersfield residents at the meeting, opposed to the county’s bid.
He said the meeting was primarily for the benefit of Coltishall parishioners.
But Badersfield resident Amanda Bowen said they had no parish council and relied on those of neighbouring villages to air their views.
More News
- Young recruits join Sea Palling lifeboat through new training scheme
- Convertible car attacked in Reepham
- Netting and twine stolen from Stalham business
- Sealed bids invited for ‘royal’ wildflowers book donated to Norfolk cancer charity Big C
- Clifftop campsite wedding reception at East Runton
- Golf day at Mundesley raises £4,500 to help palsy charity
- Have your say on how £40m should be spent on transport: list of projects in Norfolk and Suffolk to vote on
- Honesty box stolen from Mundesley
- Cawston burglary witness appeal
- Mustard video and poll: Your favourite Blue Peter presenter
ADVERTISEMENT
10 comments
Look at the logistics of removing this runway. Circa 30000 max UK weight tipper lorries. Has anyone forgotten that the same 30000 have to come back empty? So 60000 in reality. They either pass through Coltishall village and over the wee bridge, or, through Coltishall village to Wroxham and over its wee bridge, or through Buxton on some of the narrowest roads in Norfolk. I'm sure some council person has simply thought "here's the hardcore for the new ring road" without even getting close to reality. Clearly the best option is to keep it open as an airfield, build the (non invasive) solar farm a safe distance away from but along each side of the runway, and thus avoid the absurd plans by both MofJ and Scottow estates to build 3 more huge and ineffective turbines..............on an AIRFIELD, or very near it!
Report this comment
Windless
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I'm not sure the bridges in the area could manage all that movement, let alone the roads. Obviously lots of thought has gone into the project by the council!!! Maybe it's another hidden cost we will be paying as they muddle through and make it up as they go along. Would be really nice if they could outline which companies will be moving into the hangers. We could do with a jobs boost in the area.
Report this comment
Johnyboy65
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
It had better stay as an airfield! The runway is circa 2286m long x 46m wide, let's assume its 2m thick. That's 210312 cubic metres. Crushed concrete weighs 2.5tonnes per cubic metre, so there's 504750 tonnes to move. A tipper lorry carries 17tonnes so you're going to need 29691 of them. Remarkably close figures to the 30000 quoted above. Don't know of too many large roads in that area so the traffic's going to be busy!!
Report this comment
windup
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
g hu, yes we have 2 PCs but the attitude of one was that we are just a housing estate and one gets the impression that, despite the contribution we as council tax payers make to their 'pot', we are the little people who should be seen and not heard! Or perhaps not seen at all!
Report this comment
jaybaxter
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I've never seen flying pigs yet, but an incinerator at Coltishall for flying in international waste(to ensure it works to capacity) might cause a stench!!!
Report this comment
bedoomed
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Badersfield haven't got a parish council? They've got two - Scottow and Buxton. And two District Councils, North Norfolk and Broadland. Time they got their act together.
Report this comment
g hu
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Badersfield haven't got a parish council? They've got two - Scottow and Buxton. And two District Councils, North Norfolk and Broadland. Time they got their act together.
Report this comment
g hu
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
How many people like me still think Norwich airport should be moved to RAF coltishall?
Report this comment
Sandaryeos grandad
Monday, July 2, 2012
How many people like me still think Norwich airport should be moved to RAF coltishall?
Report this comment
Sandaryeos grandad
Monday, July 2, 2012
It is plain knowledge now that Wheelabrator want more than one waste incinerator in Norfolk and Mike Jackson is doing everything to please them. If I lived in Clotishall I would be very worried indeed. 65.516 people ignored what chance have you got, Mike Jackson does not listen. He only hears the words from John Bolden of Wheelabrator. Mike Jackson went to King's Lynn to tell them the tories would be ignoring 65.516 who said no to their stinking waste incinerator. Localism Bill is a joke, Big Society is a joke. The Tories are a joke.
Report this comment
Jack
Monday, July 2, 2012