Tatenhill Airfield needs your help (EGBM)
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Tatenhill Airfield needs your help (EGBM)
At a time when many airfields are being closed the pilots of East Staffs Flying Club were very pleased to hear that the owners of Tatenhill Airfield (EGBM) were looking to improve the facilities that are available.
Those of you that have visited Tatenhill will know that the current facilities are run down with the club house consisting of a small Portakabin and the administration also being in prefabricated buildings.
The landowner, working with the airfield operator (Tatenhill Aviation) and East Staffs Flying Club, have applied to the local council to knock down the current maintenance hangar, tower, admin buildings and other derelict buildings on site and replace them with a purpose built facility which will include a new tower, clubhouse, taxiway and eight hangars. These will be used for the existing maintenance and avionics business as well as providing somewhere for owners to keep their planes which, to date, have had to be left outside. The new taxiway will also mean that it will no longer be necessary to backtrack on the runway when the grass is muddy!
Since the application was submitted there has been a number of inaccurate reports in the local press suggesting that these minor improvements, which merely redress years of underinvestment, will result in the airfield being used for passenger or freight operations despite the fact that there are no landing aids, and is too close to East Midlands to be financially viable. The owner and operator have tried to communicate that they are only seeking to improve the facilities for General Aviation. However, there have been a significant number of concerns raised by locals generated by this misinformation and the council seem minded to decline the application which is a pity as the airfield generally has good relations with its neighbours and there are minimal complaints.
At a planning hearing last Monday a decision on whether the application would be permitted was deferred and there is therefore the opportunity to lobby the council as to the value of the improvements. In reality they need to be “educated” and to appreciate the strategic value of GA both to the local economy and to the UK as a whole. We have a few days in which we can generate some additional support to counter the misinformation that has been spread. We would therefore be grateful if you could email or write to the council to express your personal views and support for this application. Every letter or email will help to redress the balance so please spend a few minutes assisting us.
The planning officer of the council, Katy Craddock, who is co-ordinating this can be contacted by email at [email protected]
Or by post:
Planning Officer
East Staffordshire Borough
Council
Town Hall
Burton Upon Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 2EB
Many thanks in anticipation and please remember that the Tatenhill Fly-in is being held on 29th July 2006 and you are most welcome to attend. Again information is posted on our website.
Angus Stewart
East Staffs Flying Club
www.esfc.org.uk
Those of you that have visited Tatenhill will know that the current facilities are run down with the club house consisting of a small Portakabin and the administration also being in prefabricated buildings.
The landowner, working with the airfield operator (Tatenhill Aviation) and East Staffs Flying Club, have applied to the local council to knock down the current maintenance hangar, tower, admin buildings and other derelict buildings on site and replace them with a purpose built facility which will include a new tower, clubhouse, taxiway and eight hangars. These will be used for the existing maintenance and avionics business as well as providing somewhere for owners to keep their planes which, to date, have had to be left outside. The new taxiway will also mean that it will no longer be necessary to backtrack on the runway when the grass is muddy!
Since the application was submitted there has been a number of inaccurate reports in the local press suggesting that these minor improvements, which merely redress years of underinvestment, will result in the airfield being used for passenger or freight operations despite the fact that there are no landing aids, and is too close to East Midlands to be financially viable. The owner and operator have tried to communicate that they are only seeking to improve the facilities for General Aviation. However, there have been a significant number of concerns raised by locals generated by this misinformation and the council seem minded to decline the application which is a pity as the airfield generally has good relations with its neighbours and there are minimal complaints.
At a planning hearing last Monday a decision on whether the application would be permitted was deferred and there is therefore the opportunity to lobby the council as to the value of the improvements. In reality they need to be “educated” and to appreciate the strategic value of GA both to the local economy and to the UK as a whole. We have a few days in which we can generate some additional support to counter the misinformation that has been spread. We would therefore be grateful if you could email or write to the council to express your personal views and support for this application. Every letter or email will help to redress the balance so please spend a few minutes assisting us.
The planning officer of the council, Katy Craddock, who is co-ordinating this can be contacted by email at [email protected]
Or by post:
Planning Officer
East Staffordshire Borough
Council
Town Hall
Burton Upon Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 2EB
Many thanks in anticipation and please remember that the Tatenhill Fly-in is being held on 29th July 2006 and you are most welcome to attend. Again information is posted on our website.
Angus Stewart
East Staffs Flying Club
www.esfc.org.uk
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Have emailed today.
Everyone should get on board with this, as they did with North Weald, and the John Prescott planning permission thing.
Mod's, should this not be a sticky for a few days so everyone has the chance to make a difference?
Everyone should get on board with this, as they did with North Weald, and the John Prescott planning permission thing.
Mod's, should this not be a sticky for a few days so everyone has the chance to make a difference?
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Email sent as duely required. Did have a laugh at the Burton Mail article, then realised how many dullards are likely to take the content as fact through blind ignorance.
Regards
Obs cop
Regards
Obs cop
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Got an immediate email acknowledgement of my comments, now have a letter inviting me to speak at the planning meeting if I wish even though I'm out-of-area.
Suggest you locals all accept your three minute slot to speak?
regards
HnH
Suggest you locals all accept your three minute slot to speak?
regards
HnH
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Dropped in today to show my support as well. Incredibly friendly airfield!
Sorry if I left a dent or two in your tarmac with the hamfisted landing!
DW
Sorry if I left a dent or two in your tarmac with the hamfisted landing!
DW
Last edited by dwshimoda; 12th Jun 2006 at 07:56.
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Tatenhill Airfield
All
Thanks again for the support - there is still time to get your email across to East Staffs Borough Council. There is a meeting on Monday 19th June but the inside story is that they will reject the proposed development!
We have managed to get 135+ letters/emails in support of the development (possibly more than the opposition) but I fear that they will not be receptive! We have managed to get the three slots for people who support the development - just need a fair hearing now!
Pleased that you were made welcome at Tatenhill when you dropped in (not a dig at your landing) - we are a very friendly airfield and on Fri, Sat, Sun you can get a breakfast or other meals/butties etc etc. Plus we have an outside seating area which is great when the sun shines!
If you have not visited us before - make a point of doing so.
We also have our Fly-In on Saturday 29th July - the grass runway will be open (unlicensed) so we hope tom attarct a lot of PFA aircraft. There will be three aerobatic displays during the day (2 x Yak and 1 x Antonov AN2!). Please come along and visit us.
Mike
Thanks again for the support - there is still time to get your email across to East Staffs Borough Council. There is a meeting on Monday 19th June but the inside story is that they will reject the proposed development!
We have managed to get 135+ letters/emails in support of the development (possibly more than the opposition) but I fear that they will not be receptive! We have managed to get the three slots for people who support the development - just need a fair hearing now!
Pleased that you were made welcome at Tatenhill when you dropped in (not a dig at your landing) - we are a very friendly airfield and on Fri, Sat, Sun you can get a breakfast or other meals/butties etc etc. Plus we have an outside seating area which is great when the sun shines!
If you have not visited us before - make a point of doing so.
We also have our Fly-In on Saturday 29th July - the grass runway will be open (unlicensed) so we hope tom attarct a lot of PFA aircraft. There will be three aerobatic displays during the day (2 x Yak and 1 x Antonov AN2!). Please come along and visit us.
Mike
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Hi. I've sent an email to the planning officer. Good luck with your plans. Logically this should not be rejected. I heard an eminent psychologist (I hope that's not an oxymoron) talking on radio 2 saying that the only way to win an argument is to have clear incisive logic. Well that wins hands down here. All the best.
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Black Monday!
Black Monday!
The proposed Tatenhill airfield development was unanimously rejected by the Planning Committee at yesterday afternoon’s meeting. Apparently they brought into play some ‘environmental issues’ that had not been passed to either the Duchy of Lancaster or Tatenhill Aviation for prior resolution/comment (the committee claimed that these only came to light late on Friday afternoon!).
I would like to thank all those who gave their support - in the end the letters in support outweighed those in opposition (methinks the decision had been made some time ago!).
The process has already started to lodge an appeal – I will keep you posted.
Thanks
Mike
The proposed Tatenhill airfield development was unanimously rejected by the Planning Committee at yesterday afternoon’s meeting. Apparently they brought into play some ‘environmental issues’ that had not been passed to either the Duchy of Lancaster or Tatenhill Aviation for prior resolution/comment (the committee claimed that these only came to light late on Friday afternoon!).
I would like to thank all those who gave their support - in the end the letters in support outweighed those in opposition (methinks the decision had been made some time ago!).
The process has already started to lodge an appeal – I will keep you posted.
Thanks
Mike
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Disappointing. Keep us updated on the appeal.
Does this mean that a decision was made, and yet you and others hadn't been given the opportunity to review and counter evidence which only came to light on Friday?
Smacks of corruption of the highest order. And local and national councellors and 'representatives' wonder why we hold them in such low esteem.
they brought into play some ‘environmental issues’ ... these only came to light late on Friday afternoon!
Smacks of corruption of the highest order. And local and national councellors and 'representatives' wonder why we hold them in such low esteem.