Marshalls of Cambridge rules out move to Duxford
 

It leaves Wyton and Cranfield as their options now. I know the distance etc but you would have thought originally somewhere like St Athan would have been ideal.

https://www.cambridgeindependent.co....Wy843A083epQZM

why not Prestwick? They'd get a big subsidy from the Scot nats....................

What about Mildenhall? Near Cambridge and possibly available in 2024?
mmmitch.

Waterbeach was available.In the 50s they used us acouple of times.

Forgive my ignorance but why the need for a no fly zone? When I've flown into Cambridge (albeit only twice in the dim and distant) I don't recall there being a no fly zone then.

Mildenhall no longer an option, I am told.

Wyton sold.

Which airfield is SW of Duxford?

Why do you all think they need to move Marshall's of Cambridge to another airfield?

Wyton had a fence down the middle of the runway the last time I flew over and I believe the half outside said fence will shortly be houses, if not already!

Teesside would be perfect I am sure the Mayor would be willing to find cash.

Houses on Wyton’s airfield was dropped about 2 years ago - https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/raf...enda-1-5264495

Mildenhall to close some time after 2024 (although rumours are it won’t at all): https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/longer-r...hall-1-5832485

I think it's in the terms that, at Duxford the Marshalls facilities would be designated "no over-flight" zones for airshows, which would cripple display flying at Duxford.

If you click the link in the first post you will see:-

"The company intends to move out of Cambridge by 2030 in order to continue its growth
Moving out will unlock land in the east of Cambridge for up to 12,000 homes and commercial space."

The 'growth' will come from the money they trouser selling the airfield for housing.

Ideal for commuting to the Smoke.

Yes I think that's probably it, it would be classified as a built up area, the same reasoning is making this years Victory Show at Cosby sadly the last as the villages latest development is encroaching the display area.

I really don't understand why they ever contemplated Duxford in the first place. I like to think that IWM told them to get on their bike when they were approached them.

Plenty of space down here at Newquay.

Possibly in someone else's legal terms, but Marshalls did put on a superb airshow for their own airfield and over half the city of Cambridge for their 100th anniversary. Right over their hangers, and even a Hunter at not many feet over the military vehicle workshops IIRC. XH558's departure must have made domestic windows rattle for a good portion of the city too.

With 4,000 employees to either relocate or each to face a long drive to work there is no obvious option. (Drive? Cambridgeshire suffers a Stagecoach near-monopoly on bus services. They're cr*p once outside the city.)

'a

Move the lot to the Northern Powerhouse - and get a £1Bn grant to do it..................

Linton-on-Ouse will soon be vacant....

Surely not Fowlmere?

Aerobelly.VulcanXH 558 was refurbished at Bruntingthorpe and made it's first post-restoration flight from there. If I remember rightly some Marshall staff travelled to and fro. It was never on the ground at Cambridge.

JEM60,

Perhaps aerobelly was referring to XH558's departure from Marshalls' 100th Anniversary airshow, and not an actual take-off from the runway at Cambridge ?

How about Woodford, large skilled workforce nearby ? Oh, wait..... :-)

Heights Good
New housing application still with the District Cooncil', and is well off airfield towards Houghton. For what its worth, local rumour hath it that MOD are having a re-think on the "closure" of the R/W.

A/D.

Teesside it is then, we already have £0.5Bn in the pot.

Why not Alconbury, it's convenient for travelling.

Oh I wish .....sadly U&C / Savils who own it already have created a mini village, industrial estate ....on the former Airfield side called Alconbury Weald.

half the runway has construction stuff buildings etc. , the other half is still intact

There was a plan to turn it into a cargo hub for the likes of Fedex and DHl after the Airfield side handed back to MoD and sold off back in the 95/96. And of cerise then Br we’re gonna finance the development of freight terminal to support this.p but then they pulled out, which did not help the situ. Coupled with some locals opposition it went no go.

cheers

Since the M11 was built Duxford doesn't have the runway length, rather than expanding their business they would be restricting their business.

Apparently Wethersfield airfield might be for sale and available

yes, to property developers for housing! Next....

Thanks, that makes sense now.

surprised they havent looked at a corner of Thurleigh, huge space still available if you can shift all the old motors

Horses
 

While I'd love to see the air around where I live full of aircraft again (our neighbour has some cracking stories of when RAE Bedford was open), the area is now home to some high profile equestrian centres. I suspect that these would put up a strong and successful fight against re-opening Thurleigh beyond its current very limited use - the noise abatement procedures are already highly restrictive.

A "mini village" of 6,500 new homes no less...

Alconbury Weald

Because there are so few viable options (like none), because we sell all our airfields to property developers at knock down prices so they can make a mint?

The developers havent given up on Wyton, they just go to ground temporarily and then come back with an even more "ambitious" plan:

Latest Wyton Housing proposal

Mildenhall will go the same way, mix of industrial and housing - it's already pre-determined and any talk of local consultation is just the usual non-event that makes it look like they've considered all the options. The land at Mildenhall is desparately needed to serve Cambridge expansion.

That's part of it - Marshalls are located in one of the most expensive and fastest growing parts of the UK - a move further away is probably necessary..... Manston!

London (Lydd)?

My brother,who lives nearby, received a letter last week from developers with their outline plan for building 1500 houses on the former RNAS Ford,so that's out !.Former airfields are falling like skittles to the onslaught of the house builders.

Looks ominous.

Call me cynical but I wouldn't be surpised if, at some point, we see a press release from Marshalls along the lines of "having sold our aerodrome for a shed full of money, we've explored all possible options for re-locating our aviation business to another suitable location. Unfortunately this has proved to be not possible so we're trousering the money and shutting the business. So, many thanks to all of our loyal employees, but they can go-swivel".

I really hope I'm wrong.

Weathersfield would make quite a bit of sense. It's still owned by the MOD, and I believe the runway is in pretty good shape. Not a lot of built -up area around, and transport links are pretty good. About an hour by road from Cambridge, and the M25 isn't that far away. Possibly too logical?