REDHILL

[bycrewlgw]

I read a while ago in the local rag that Redhill aerodrome were seeking permission to expand into a commercial airport with regular scheduled flights. They hoped it would relieve the pressure off of the other London airports esp. LGW. Since then nothing else has been said. Anyone have any further info? Could it be a viable option? Wouldn't SEN be a better option?

BYCREWLGW

[Oshkosh George]

I can't honestly see how it would help Gatwick's traffic. Being so close,it would probably cause more problems than it solved. And how much of Gatwick's traffic would be able to use Redhill anyway with it's grass runways?

There may be a demand for extra smaller capacity,but they probably use Luton,Biggin Hill,Farnborough already. Can't see it happening even if all obstacles were removed.

[chevvron]

Haven't heard of a recent proposal, but about 10-12 years ago when it was proposed, it was turned down as it was too close to Gatwick(plus the usual local NIMBY protests of course)
I heard third hand that when Alan Bristow sold Redhill, this was one of his selling points, but when the new owners applied for outline planning permission, Bristow was one of the biggest objectors! Don't know how true that is though.

[MEON VALLEY FLYER]

I thought this one reared it's head again about 2 years ago. When current owners bought some farm land joining the site.
They talked about a tarmac runway for 'business flights' only, to aleviate Gatwick. But it depended on permission and knocking down some private houseing (of the large expensive kind, with wealthy owners) for it all to happen.
Result: instant powerful and well healed action group who even talked about closing the place down to prevent any further development.:ugh:

p.s does the runway profile still remind you of the mendips. Used to love that when visiting in a BE76 and 90

[261A]

How would Redhill expand when runways go uphill and they are grass, the M23 to the east and greenbelt surrounding south, west and North! :hmm:

[chevvron]

One major problem was I believe, the amount of controlled airspace required to encompass IFR arrivals and departures was just not available when you took existing Gatwick requirements into account.