Owner of Private Airfield must remove concrete runway

[GXEYE]

Not a good day for Upfield Farm

BBC NEWS | Wales | South East Wales | Airfield concrete runway must go (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7619286.stm)

[Pace]

Just shows how biased media can be. They select a woman who complains about her peace at weekends.

Bet you anything she bought the place with the landing strip already there so why complain now?

Not sure on the laying of concrete and whther this requires planning on a private strip?

I hope the owner gets some solid legal advice before bending to bully boy make up your own regulation councils.

Pace

[Katamarino]

To be fair, its less than 10 years since the guy installed the concrete and extra buildings, without planning permission (he had permission for a grass strip, granted in December 1997, under the conditions of personal use only). By his own admisson, he now wants to use it for commercial events.

So I think theres a very good chance that the lady was already there before the current airfield facilities were.

This does NOT mean that I want any airfield closed, quite the opposite, but the guy *was* pushing the limits to see what he could get away with, and it seems to have backfired. Theres a good thread on another forums about it, with links to the planning authorities report.

[Human Factor]

Alternatively, he built a long thin driveway in his field. He has occasionally landed his aeroplane on it when his strip was unsuitable. All of a sudden, it isn't a runway. ;)

Commercial use on the other hand...... :hmm:

[scooter boy]

"My little boy plays outside and we never know when a plane is going to come down. It's the best news I've had all year"

So true! you really never know when one of those pesky little planes is going to fall out of the sky onto your head and squash you - it happens all the time after all :rolleyes:, must have been hell for all those poor people who lived close to the airfield.

I hope he can afford a good planning lawyer.

SB

[gpn01]

Forgive my naivity but isn't operating off a concrete runway safer than a grass one ? So by demanding that the guy lands & takes off on grass the residents are actually exposing themselves to a greater risk ?

[gasax]

No!

Grass is a very forgiving surface - you can slide. skid, land with drift and largely get away with it. For taildraggers particularly it is a much more forgivig surface.

The friction of a hard surface means that many of these issues can result in exiting 'stage left'. From recollection this runway has a distinct 'step' between the concrete and grass. That by itself is something of a threat - but not to those who land straight down it. I routinely land on a strip 10m wide with an unfortunate obstical to the north - no issue but only if you land in line with the strip.

[Pace]

Gasax

Maybe suggest Heathrow dig up their runways in favour of grass and safety :ok:

Pace

[1800ed]

"The application is for a mini airport in the area and further down the line it will become a commercial airport."
I like this bit, isn't assumption the mother of all ****-ups?
"My little boy plays outside and we never know when a plane is going to come down. It's the best news I've had all year."
Then there is this one, which is just laughable to be honest. He's right, you never know 'when a plane is going to come down'. But it's such a rare event you don't worry about it.

It does seem a little rude of the owner though. From what the article says, he has increased the amount of movements there which has annoyed everyone. If he wanted to keep his hangars and runway, surely it would be better to be a little more discreet about things?

[Lister Noble]

Just for one second imagine you live next door to this site,have no particular like or dislike of aircraft but do like your peace and quiet,also do not want large buildings erected near you,with the potential for commercial use.
Could be any one of us ,so try to see both sides.
Sounds to me the chap was pushing his luck to the nth degree.

At our small grass airstrip we hold a neighbours evening once a year and take anyone up who wants to see what it is like,also provide a BBQ and other refreshments,all free of charge.
It does make a difference to their attitude.
Lister:)

[Pace]

Lister

I agree that your approach is far more likely to be successful. Having said that people are funny. I have A friend whos properties are divided by common land and they are forever arguing about who should park on it.
They were best of friends and now dont talk over the most petty of arguemnts.

I would also hazard a guess that some people have such empty lives that they seek out causes to attach to.

While in this case the owner may have pushed the limits of acceptability for his landing strip there are many instances of residence associations who have nothing better to do with their time and lives but attacking small airfields to destruction while happily causing a nuisance with their own hobbies.

Usually when they win aided by the media and often ertired ex squadron leaders they end up with an industrial estate and form a "save the sleepy airfield campaign instead".

I am a cynic and find people can be the most odd of creatures

But yes your approach is more likely to get a result than going head to head but not always

Pace

[DB6]

I wonder what a survey of road deaths within the radius of, say, 5 miles and air crashes within the same area would reveal? Well actually I don't but some people need smacking round the head when it comes to safety concerns.

[rauxaman]

Seems to me that the decision is pretty eco-unfriendly.
We all know that the cement used in concrete has a high carbon footprint so after subjecting the environment to the manufacture of several hundred tonnes of cement it wil be such a waste to now chop it all out and take it to land-fill!!!!!!

[charliegolf]

Would they let him soil and grass over the concrete?

CG

[rauxaman]

Astroturf?

[Justiciar]

Seems like a fairly clear case of breaking planning control. There is very little chance of this sort of development getting approval. If the reported 1000 aircraft movements in 10 months are true then he seems hell bent on doing everything possible to p*** off as many neighbours as possible - not good for GA's reputation.

[Pace]

>If the reported 1000 aircraft movements in 10 months are true then he seems hell bent on doing everything possible to p*** off as many neighbours as possible - not good for GA's reputation.<

Maybe he just has a lot of friends and family paying him a visit :)

Who counted the 1000 movements or is that as realistic as the selective media coverage ?

CYNICAL Pace :)

[chrisN]

There is some background to Upfield Farm in the Council’s report, visible at:

http://www.newport.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/report/cont101060.pdf

I can’t see there a reference to Pace’s query about 1000 movements over 10 months, but there is mention of the applicant advising (allegedly): “Frequency of use is unpredictable and according to the applicant, can vary from nil to forty in an hour.”

Chris N.

[edited to add a missing bracket]

[troddenmasses]

it wil be such a waste to now chop it all out and take it to land-fill!!!!!!

I don't think anybody said anything about taking it away - he just doesn't have planning permission for the hard standing as the grass runway gets waterlogged. On the other hand, a few hundred tonnes of nicely broken up hard core under a grass runway (sorry - field) would help sort out waterlogging problems nicely. I've met Ken a couple of times and he does seem to relish having his own way and to hell with anybody else.

[jonkil]

At our small grass airstrip we hold a neighbors evening once a year and take anyone up who wants to see what it is like,also provide a BBQ and other refreshments,all free of charge.
It does make a difference to their attitude.
Lister
This is a very important event. We tarmacked our 550 metre strip and for years we ran this type of event for the surrounding neighbors. We also ask them to come directly to us and talk to us if they have reasons for concerns. We also try and keep noisy types away, so much in fact that it is usually rotax powered aircraft that fly at the club. If you don't have the neighbors on your side then it is a catalyst for problems.

Jon