RAF Newton

[Negative 'G']

Whats happened to this loverly Grass field near Nottingham,the last I heard was that it was closing but having not been over that way for a while I do not know !

Neg G

[fireflybob]

Sadly RAF Newton was closed at the end of last year after the beancounters at the MOD decided to sell the site so that (would you believe) it could be used to build property on!

The Army Grading has moved back to Middle Wallop and the UAS and AEF have moved to Cranwell.

There has been much local opposition to house building on the aerodrome and the field is sitting there with the grass getting longer!

It is a great pity that it cannot continue as an airfield. Ideally suited to light aircraft with three huge hangars which, I believe, were built to withstand nuclear attack!

Perhaps with the changed priorities with defence after Sept 11th it might be resurrected (I wish!)

[incubus]

Sure, Bob. We really need grass airstrips to help us counter the terrorist threat.

:p

[Chilli Monster]

Incubus

I think what Bob was referring to was that with a possible revision in defence policy more military training might be required, which is what Newton was used for before it closed. However, seeing as the previous occupants have moved south it is unlikely to open again, and will indeed become housing. (Much to Bobs Chagrin as it was an easy commute for him ;))

Bob

Apart from instructing at EGBN where you flying now - still with JEFTS?

CM

[Negative 'G']

Hmmmmmmmmm I feared that it would fall into the 'Change of use' catagory,I suppose it's so easy to do with what is literally a field.
A loverly field at that though..........ah the sight of the chippies greasing along the Newton grass gone for ever,it's such a shame surely somebody could take it over as a going concern type thing,do I recollect Nottingham having trouble with the planners not long ago or did I dream it?

Quote: "three huge hangars which, I believe, were built to withstand nuclear attack!"

Well you never know they might come in useful after all

Neg G

[Stan Evil]

One of the sad ironies is that grass airfields like Newton and Bicester are 'brown-field sites' under the cock-eyed planning rules and so getting planning permission to build on them is encouraged. Never mind that such areas of grass, untouched by pesticides and fertilizers are a haven for natural flora and fauna.

It's enough to make you vote 'green'.

[DB6]

My brother is a town planner and, fine chap that he is, get him talking about planning and you can see why that bearded bloke blew one of them away in front of the news cameras a few years back. Bunch of tw@ts.

[Skylark4]

Stan Evil,
Grass airfields are a special case and are NOT brownfield sites. They are classed as Greenfield sites. I know someone very involved in the Bicester kerfuffle who knows chapter and verse. I`ll see him Wednesday and try to get him to post here.

Mike W

[Stan Evil]

I stand corrected :confused: . I'd be interested to hear the latest on Bicester.

[1.3VStall]

The people who fly at Bicester would be interested to know what's the latest!

The projected move of the RAFGSA Centre from the said grass airfield has been talked about since 1971, when RAF Bicester (71 MU)closed. The sorry saga illustrates just how incapable a succession of senior RAF officers have been at making a balanced decision and driving a project through to completion. It's a case of "I'm only in post for two years, so I'll leave it to someone else". Now the MOD bean counters are involved, so heaven help us.

In the meantime, gliding will continue at Bicester in 2002 - we hope!

Closing down airfields, whether grass or otherwise destroys part of our national heritage (IMHO).