Hello Papa Oscar, I'm the author of the Blog post. And no, I don't take drugs :-)
I absolutely agree with you remarks on Barton Aerodromes current size. I live just a few miles away from it. However, the point you've missed is that in the post I mention the BBC report that talks about how Peel would make
significant changes to the size and facilities at Barton.
Getting planning permission to build a new airport in the UK is pretty much impossible. But extending an existing one into land you've already purchased, where the surroundings are designated industrial, that's something very different.
My point is mute though, as again I say in the article, it looks like they are more likely to employ goods on the high speed rail network from Manchester / Liverpool / Salford docks. Which is why Peel say it's "vital" to the future of the area.
UPDATE:
Here's Peel's first draft of what they plan to do. So... how many business jets do you think are going to land on grass? I mean, you're the experts.
10 months after this document was produced, Peel then increased Barton's role as part of the Atlantic Gateway project. But AGAIN, I suspect this is to push the town planners to let them get access to the High Speed rail network. Which is why they are so keen on HS2. Which is what I said in the original post. Or you could just watch the North West news TONIGHT.
Interesting. So would that be:
(a) tearing up a cemetery, the Peel Green housing and school to the north east, and moving the M60, or
(b) demolishing half the housing in Irlam, or moving the M62, or
(c) a bit of both
Or just on Barton Moss... which they
own (or details
here).
They do intend to build on the area, because the
Environment Agency attempted to stop them, got sued and Peel's moving ahead.