Sherlowe Airstrip Help Needed again plse

[poetpilot]

Any chance of a Sticky on this Mr Mod, until May 14th ?
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Sherlowe airstrip is in the process of applying for renewal of its permission to operate, and the usual local press hype has commenced.....

http://www.shropshirestar.com/artman/publish/article_1560.shtml

The planning application for a permanent site has just been lodged. Closing date for writing in is May 14th.

Planning application no. W2003/0441; R F Pooler; Land at Lower Grounds Farm, Shirlowe, High Ercall; Change of use from agricultural land to a private landing strip for light aircraft

The address to write to, if you wish to support the planning application, is:

Julian Pye, Planning Office
Borough of Telford & Wrekin - Environment & Economy,
PO Box 212,
Darby House,
Lawn Central, Telford
TF3 4LB

On a related issue - the consultation period for the Telford and Wrekin local plan has now been put back to June.

Please note that when the planning process went off last year for this place, the Planning Officer DID take into account the many letters of support from pilots, both local & remote. So every letter counts.

The strip has operated within the onerous restrictions issued to it last year (4 movements a day max, operating hours 10:00-19:00, no fuel, no hangarage).

It is significant that many local neighbours have withdrawn their objections this time around, but that the local rag and no doubt the local councillor will be doing their best to stir up the "controversy" that probably didn't exist before the paper stirred it up.

[maggioneato]

Please all you lovely prooners, (grovel, grovel), write in support of this lovely airstrip. Poet has kindly given all details required, and all your letters will make a difference. I drive 65 miles to fly from this strip,even though there are airfields nearer to home, this one is just so special and so well run. Please help.
Maggs.

[Bottle Fatigue]

I'd like to second that sentiment, it would be a shame indeed to lose this strip through complacency after last year's success.

My letter will be in the post by Tuesday afternoon, As long as I can work out where I've put my crayons........

[poetpilot]

C'mon, pretty please Mr Moderator, put it on a sticky for us country yokel flyers...

[stiknruda]

6th May 2003


Dear Sir,


Sherlowe Airstrip


Please accept this letter as support for Mr Pooler’s planning application at Sherlowe.

As a private pilot whose elderly parents live in Little Wenlock, it is reassuring to know that should the need materialise, I can jump in my aeroplane, set off for Sherlowe and I can be with them within an hour. The same trip by motor vehicle takes almost 4 hours and contributes to the ever-increasing congestion and road-side pollution.

As there is not a licensed airfield in Telford, Mr Pooler’s strip is a very useful asset to the aviation community. There are 38,000 registered pilots in the UK – I urge you to support his application.


Yours faithfully,



Stik

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

This delightful strip must survive. They don't come better or more deserving than Sherlowe.

You guys who haven't - PLEASE get writing!!

Moderator - PLEASE make this a sticky!!!!

SSD

[poetpilot]

Yeah! Make 'em 'ave it SSD!

(SSD & moi dropped in there recently in the Chippie. You just have to keep going back there).

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I'm sure 'Big Red' will 'sticky' this when he reads it. It must be a perfect use of PPRuNe's powers to bring them to bear to maximise the chance of saving flying havens like like Sherlowe.

How did the vid of our visit turn out, Poet?

SSD

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

C'mon Big Red - or I'll travel by bus in future (horrors!!).

Hope the rest of you guys have written - could be your favorite strip next........

SSD

[poetpilot]

Hi SSD, yeah the vid was errr, OK ! I left the backlight on, on the way down. Coming back was better. It does capture the noise and rattles and stuff quite well. I promise I'll do you a copy. Only standard 8 vid though, so the quality will not be Ch.4 stuff !

my submission to Le Wrekin Council.......

I am writing to you to support Mr Pooler's application this year for the use of Lower Grounds Farm as an airstrip.

As a business visitor to the Telford area (I work as an IT consultant), and as a supplier of occasional services also to Mr Pooler, I have found the airstrip extremely convenient and useful in terms of cutting down travel time from my home base in Manchester.

Throughout the time I have used the strip in the last 12 months, I have been very impressed with Mr. Pooler's meticulous attention in ensuring that all pilots who use the strip are thoroughly briefed on noise abatement and environmental, as well as safety and legal considerations. I have absolutely no doubt that Mr. Pooler will continue with this considerate approach to his surrounding neighbours in the future, and I have supported and encouraged him in his approach.

However, in September of 2002, on an occasion when I was travelling by road to Sherlowe for a business meeting with Mr. Pooler, I was accosted on the approach road to Lower Grounds Farm by an individual on a motorbike who was aggressive and violent in his manner towards me and my colleague. I could not believe that certain people in the area have adopted such a hostile and unreasonable approach to the point that road visitors to Mr Pooler's home and office are physically threatened. I can only put this down to unreasonable hysteria and "tribalism" from long term local residents, perhaps whipped up by the local media (this is an assumption based on the words this man used to me).

As for criticisms being voiced about expansion of activity at the strip, I can assure you that, from a pilot's point of view, the lay of the land at Sherlowe is such that the airstrip is not suitable for real commercial airfield use, due to the local geography - therefore fears of expansion to the point where Sherlowe would become a threat to the rural area are in my opinion totally unfounded.

General Aviation airfields in this country are a valuable but diminishing asset, providing work and pleasure for many people. With proper social and environmental considerations, aviation activities can take place without disturbing local neighbours. In addition, the availability of airfields as landing grounds are invaluable in times of emergency, and can support military and police operations where these may be of benefit to the local population.

I urge the council to grant permission for change of use so that Sherlowe can be retained for low volume general aviation activities. This would safeguard the rights of the aviation activities which currently exist there with no disruption to the peaceful rural aspect of the area..

[BRL]

Sorry for the delay in sticking this. Its been on the 'To do' list that has been neglected recently and I just got a 'reminder' e-mail to stick it.
Very sorry once again.
Brl.

[poetpilot]

Note - Rather than edit my previous post, please could people note the following:

I'm editing my letter as shown above to take out remarks about using Sherlowe on business - apparently, it may not be taken the right way by the planners. I'll stick to the positives about consideration for the environment etc.

Apologies to Bob - don't worry the letter will be amended suitably before posting later today!

[poetpilot]

Well, the Sherlowe story has expanded a little more again.....

... Deadline for letters WAS 14th May. This has now been extended (not sure what date but will find out) because the hearing will be sometime mid-June rather than May as originally scheduled.

Unfortunately, this has coincided with the local rag, the Shropshire Star, doing another fine wind-up hystrerical jobbie on Sherlowe, and with an unknown local yokel printing up lots of flyers, urging the contented poplace of High Ercall to protest against "expansion".

It ain't expansion, it's continuance that Bob Pooler is eeeking at Sherlowe. So, if you were thinking "drat, I should have wrotten a letter" then there is still time to do it.

If Mr Moderator would like to sticky this again, say to end May, I'm sure Bob and others who fly from Sherlowe would be incredibly grateful.

Ta

[BRL]

Stuck. (A bit quicker than last time) :)
Good luck.

[poetpilot]

Thanks Big Red, on behalf of all the Sherlowe flyers.

[chrisN]

Would a letter of support from the GAAC help at this stage? I could ask its Chairman of Working Group, David Ogilvy (also of AOPA fame), to write if this support would be appreciated. He would need some details of the case - maybe culled from postings above.

Chris N.

[maggioneato]

ChrisN, thanks for the offer,will e-mail Bob (owner of Sherlowe) to put that to him, he's not a prooner. It will be Fri am before I hear from him.

[poetpilot]

Apparently a protest meeting against Sherlowe strip is being held in High Ercall on Monday 16th June. If there's anyone local who can attend to put the other point of view (and who has a full metal jacket & good life insurance) it will be interesting to hear what is being said.

The delays in arranging the planning hearing are now enabling a more organised and vociferous protest to happen. What a shame.

[poetpilot]

Update on the "protest meeting".

1 (one) villager turned up, the rest were playing bingo in the next room :-)

2 Sherlowe pilots turned up, plus the planning officer. Thus the villagers were outvoted !

The chairman remarked that Bob Pooler had not turned up to the meeting. The Planning Officer pointed out to the Chairman that this was because he had not been invited.

So, maybe things will go Sherlowe's way for a change.

Big Red, I think we can take the sticky off now for a bit, I'll update when I get further news. Thanks for doing the honours.

[BRL]

My pleasure. Best of luck to you all.

[PFLsAgain]

Good news. Planning permission was given last night. Sherlowe won!

Report here (http://www.shropshirestar.com/artman/publish/article_3495.shtml)

[BRL]

Yaaaaay..... http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung/party/party-smiley-027.gif Well done all concerned, great news indeed. Have a few of these tonight.... http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung/party/party-smiley-012.gif :ok:

[Bottle Fatigue]

Indeed, I think congratulations are due all round. Well done to all concerned and a big thankyou to all those who wrote in support.

:ok: :ok:

[maggioneato]

Seconded BF. I flew out Mon thinking could this be the last one. Flew out Wed after the good news with a totally different feeling.
Brilliant. Thanks one and all. :ok:

[stiknruda]

Mum sent me the Shropshire Star article about Bob Pooler being granted his planning application.....


and as I have not seen my folks for over a year, I rag Bob on Thursday and asked if I could land and overnight, there. The answer was very positive and very friendly.

I landed there last night - the strip sticks out like the proverbial mutt's nuts and was treated to a very warm welcome. Nothing was too much trouble for the folk there. My father collected me and I left knowing that my aeroplane (pride and joy) would be quite safe.

Returned late morning today and after goodbyes departed for a lunch date in Leicester.

Great people, great place - what a sad loss had planning permission been refused. Believe he has a PPR fly-in arranged for Sept 6th.


Stik

[maggioneato]

I was down there yesterday and today, sorry I missed seeing you and your lovely aircraft both times. hope to meet you at the fly in.

[LowNSlow]

Excellent news. It's nice to see a council with a positive attitude. Or did they finally realise that the anti's were all hype rather than local support? Either way, good result :ok:

On the other side of the coin, I've just received a letter from Dover council informing me (and all the other's that wrote in) that the change of use from "open farmland to a private grass airstrip and parking area fro light aircraft" has been refused for Overland Farm. Arse.

[stiknruda]

LnS,

I was advised several years ago by an old mate NOT to apply for planning permission but to operate under the 28 day rule.

IIRC after 10 complaint free years, then the council MUST accept that the land has been used for non-farming purposes and therefore grant permission.

10 yrs sounds a long time - but hopefully they'll "fly" by!

Maggi - sorry to have missed you, might try and drum up some similar types for Bob's fly-in. Can you PM his e-address so that I can check with him first?

Stik

edited for hangover induced typos

[poetpilot]

Good to meet you last night Stik - my non-aviation mate (the guitarist) was incredibly impressed with your machine !

It was his first visit to Sherlowe also, and he loved the place for its ambience - even though we just stopped in for a quic cuppa and didnt fly.

Oh & by the way, you didnt miss too much down at Wellington - the gig was poorly attended so was nothing very special.