RAF Coltishall - the new Norwich Airport?

[roverman]

I wonder if anyone has considered the possibility of relocating the airport for Norwich from Horsham St Faith to Coltishall?

RAF Coltishall will close within two years - that much I know. I do not know what plans the MOD might have for the site but on a recent visit to the area it did strike me how close in to the city of Norwich is the current airport at Horsham St. Faith (itself a former RAF base). Norwich is a small city but like most will be looking for new areas to develop housing and business facilties, and the present site of NWI would be very desirable for both. Coltishall may become available for re-use and it is not very far from the city by A-road, just 20 minutes I would estimate. Flight paths and noise should not be a problem, being well away from populated areas, and there is a long and well orientated runway for the development of air services. Downsides could be the work involved in adapting the airfield to meet CAA Aerodrome Licensing criteria, and the loss of a cross-wind runway for flying clubs and other wind-sensitive types. Worthy of consideration and feasibility study at least.

[niknak]

Yes, many people have considered it, but strangely enough, no one is prepared to put their hands in their pockets to pay for:

1 - the upgrading of the country lane from the A140 to Coltishall, to a trunk road - approx 4 miles = £4m, possibly more.

2 - the construction of a passenger terminal capable of handling up to 1 million pax per year, or any passengers,, which is the aim of current owners by 2008.

3 - extending existing hanger space at Coltishall which is not capable of taking B757 and 767s, for engineering and painting operations, which are already in place at Norwich.

4 - re equipping all atc and tels engineering facilities, which are very poorly maintained at Coltishall, to CAA standards.

So, who is going to pay?

Perhaps the most cost efficient thing to do, if it were possible, would be to sell the current Norwich Airport site for building land, which would sell for around £200m, which is why Omniport bought it I think, (bearing mind the new Norwich northern ring road will be built around it's perimeter), and relocate the airport to a new site at, perhaps, Hethel aerodrome, which is mid way between Norwich and the Stansted catchment area and next to the A11.

Lotus may have to be bribed to move out though :p

When the MOD do the decent thing and put Colt, out of it's misery, it should close for ever, never to be resurrected.

[Pirate]

North Norfolk is one of the few tranquil areas left in southern England. For that reason alone, I hope they let Coltishall rest in peace.

[tailchase]

At the moment Colt does see VC10s and I believe it once had a Concorde so the runway should suffice B757 and B767 but maybe the safety margins would be insufficient for CAA regs.

As far as NWI is concerned, and if it is not to get any chance of increased regional-jet type services to major hubs in the UK or abroad, then a 2000-3000ft runway extension, probably to the east of the 27 threshold would bring it into the operational window of current and probably most projected wide body twins. This would allow occasional (I can't see Norfolk sustaining more than this level of pax), perhaps weekly, longer range flights but to where? Such an extension would mean closing one of the best shortcuts to avoid the traffic around the already congested airport as it is but if a Northern bypass was to go ahead, and although this has been mentioned for years there does not appear to be any sign of it happening, this might reduce. The level of traffic in and around the Norwich ring-road would hardly suggest that there is a by-pass to the south but I accept that moving light industry away from the city with a northern bypass might alleviate this to a degree.

I would still like to see the opportunity to drive to NWI and check in without any hassle of major airports with a direct transfer at a major airport of no more than an hour that would avoid lengthy drives, car parking and possibly hotels. Afterall, isn't this what United and American have been doing for years in the US - I have tried it and it works.

The last time I flew from NWI abroad on holiday I even managed to order my groceries (milk/bread) for collection on my return and the taxi was ready at the front door - that's what is known as service.