Northolt heritage in danger?

[ACW599]

I'm hearing a story to the effect that under the current re-structuring and enlargement plans by Project MoDEL (Ministry of Defence Estates for London) the original Sector Operations Control Room at RAF Northolt is to be demolished during 2007 despite the fact that it's still in very good condition and has unique features.

I'm a humble VGS aviator whose only connection with Northolt is boundless admiration for what the Polish squadrons did during the Battle of Britain. But surely knocking down iconic buildings like this can't be right?

[Archimedes]

Sadly, one is forced to ask the question of since when doing the right thing has been a factor in planning decisions...?

[Blacksheep]

Apply for it to be listed. For buildings erected between 1914 and 1939 only buildings of exceptional quality or historic interest are listed, so it may not qualify. I'd have a go at Nos 1 and 2 hangars, SHQ, the officers mess etc at the same time. The station taken as a whole might have a better chance, although some buildings like the sergeants mess (many of the pilots were sergeants) have already been demolished and rebuilt since the Royalty moved in.

As an example, my UK home base is across the road from the old DeHavilland works at Hatfield. The original DeHavilland offices were successfully listed, as was the Comet assembly hall/control tower and the main gate. The rest was demolished and the aerodrome is now a business park and the DeHavilland Campus of the University of Hertfordshire.

For advice on how to get a building listed, or on listing in general, contact The Department of Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SWI Y SDH. In the meantime ask The London Borough of Hillingdon for a Building Preservation Notice (BPN) to prevent demolition for six months while the assessment is being processed.

I'm non-resident so I can't do it.

[ORAC]

To be honest, I do not really see any great significance in the Ops room at Northolt. The Ops room at RAF Uxbridge (http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/u/uxbridge/)was where HQ11Gp operated out of in the BoB, and that is already preserved.

[dakkg651]

I agree. No significance at all. Unless, of course, it was used to control the Royal Navy's battle of britain winning fleet!

[Cornerstone958]

So that's why we only found out about the significance of the RN success in winning the BB until recently!:ugh:

[ACW599]

>So that's why we only found out about the significance of the RN success in winning the BB until recently!<

On second thoughts I was wrong to raise this issue at all. Let's demolish Bentley Priory as well; clearly Dowding was a figure of no historical importance whatsoever. Let's get rid of the BBMF too.

[dakkg651]

Demolish Bentley Priory? Don't be ridiculous. A place that size can be used to accomodate quite a number of non-legal long term visitors to this country who have no home of their own.

Better close Northolt as well. Can't possibly have any BoB stations remaining now Coltishall has gone.

[Faithless]

At least Middle Wallop is still going strong!!!.........Unfortunately:\

[alex_holbrook]

I'm hearing a story to the effect that under the current re-structuring and enlargement plans by Project MoDEL (Ministry of Defence Estates for London) the original Sector Operations Control Room at RAF Northolt is to be demolished during 2007 despite the fact that it's still in very good condition and has unique features.

I'm a humble VGS aviator whose only connection with Northolt is boundless admiration for what the Polish squadrons did during the Battle of Britain. But surely knocking down iconic buildings like this can't be right?

You should know by now chap- nothing with any heritage is safe now. I could write a list as long as my arm, but I won't.

[QFIhawkman]

I'm hearing a story to the effect that under the current re-structuring and enlargement plans by Project MoDEL (Ministry of Defence Estates for London) the original Sector Operations Control Room at RAF Northolt is to be demolished during 2007 despite the fact that it's still in very good condition and has unique features.


Where's that then? I've been a visitor to Northolt over the years and still have a current friend there on the Royal Squadron. I can't say that I've ever seen the "old" Ops block, nor is my pal aware of it.
Can you enlighten me?
I know that the Officer's Mess is listed (and rather fine) and that there are lots of Nissen huts down by the Tower end of the airfield that date from WW2, but from what I hear they're all being preserved.
So where is this legendary Ops Block?

[WebPilot]

So where is this legendary Ops Block?


From my time at Northolt, I seem to recall that the old ops block was building 27, then in use as the Rockape section building, which is behind the eastern most hangar.



http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=northolt&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=19&ll=51.557639,-0.414369&spn=0.000747,0.00214&iwloc=addr