GA use at ex. RAF Coltishall
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Norwich
Age: 54
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GA use at ex. RAF Coltishall
Many PRuNers will be aware of the recent proposals for the site at ex. RAF Coltishall now that the RAF have left. Proposals have included breaking up the runway for aggregate, a wind-farm, eco-village and prison / detention centre. There has been considerable resistance to splitting up the site for multiple use, but it appears that a compromise could now be reached.
District councillor Catherine Wilkins has strongly opposed proposals that would exclude aviation related use from the site. She is now actively seeking interested parties with a view to operating from at least one of the hangars and maintaining use of part of the 7500ft runway.
The intention is not necessarily to have a single and entirely commercial operation, in fact a healthy mix of private hangar space hire, flying training, maintenance and general aviation use would be more likely to succeed.
In addition, given the commercial drive of Norwich International Airport and the resentment this has caused to many involved in general aviation, it is suggested that the facilities lying dormant at Coltishall could be of considerable interest- if it is possible to gain enough support.
Catherine Wilkins needs support from the GA community. If you are at all interested in making use of any of the facilities at Coltishall, even if it's just to hangar an aircraft, please register your interest with North Norfolk District Council by emailing her:
cath dot wilkins at north-norfolk.gov.uk
(formatted to reduce spamming).
Please also register your interest in this email thread.
Thank you.
District councillor Catherine Wilkins has strongly opposed proposals that would exclude aviation related use from the site. She is now actively seeking interested parties with a view to operating from at least one of the hangars and maintaining use of part of the 7500ft runway.
The intention is not necessarily to have a single and entirely commercial operation, in fact a healthy mix of private hangar space hire, flying training, maintenance and general aviation use would be more likely to succeed.
In addition, given the commercial drive of Norwich International Airport and the resentment this has caused to many involved in general aviation, it is suggested that the facilities lying dormant at Coltishall could be of considerable interest- if it is possible to gain enough support.
Catherine Wilkins needs support from the GA community. If you are at all interested in making use of any of the facilities at Coltishall, even if it's just to hangar an aircraft, please register your interest with North Norfolk District Council by emailing her:
cath dot wilkins at north-norfolk.gov.uk
(formatted to reduce spamming).
Please also register your interest in this email thread.
Thank you.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Norfolk UK
Age: 80
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coltishall
Although it too far away for me to use as a base,I would visit it for other GA related purposes and hope that this excellent facility is made available for GA use in the near future.
I'm sure there will be a lot of support for this facility in Norfolk.
Lister
I'm sure there will be a lot of support for this facility in Norfolk.
Lister
Coltishall
niknak
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The prison is nearly complete and I think it opens in October.
The setting up of a G/A etc facility is a great idea and, as far as I understand it, the runway and that side of things are still for sale but the questions arise:
1. If the runway etc is still for sale, the MOD will want top dollar and won't let it go cheaply, who has got the money to buy such a large site and how will they ever get a return from such a huge investment.
2. Will the planners ever let it return to aviation use? There are a suprisingly large number of NIMBYs, who were quite happy when it was an operational base but are vociferous opponents of any aeroplane/helicopter thats makes more noise than a sparrow farting. Daft I know, but they can be very well organised and cause a lot of problems for sensible developers.
3. The eco town plan has gone out of the window but there's no reason why it wouldn't become an industrial develoment area, if this was to be proven to be an employment booster there's every chance that the government would cough up for a basic link road or road improvements to the A140 from Coltishall. This would employ far more people than any aviation enterprise.
The sensible thing to have done would have been, the moment that the MOD announced Coltishall was closing, to start redeveloping the site as the 2nd Norwich Airport. I am told that in 2006 a consortium of 2 major UK builders approached the County Council and offered to buy Norwich Airport on the basis that they put half the money up front, (to start the redevelopment of Coltishall and build the A140 link road), followed by the rest on the day Coltishall was ready to open as a the new Norwich Airport.
660 acres @ the price of prime building land in 2006 = well you work it out!
I wish Catherine et al all the best, but I think they've got an almighty battle on their hands and I can't see them getting anywhere.
The setting up of a G/A etc facility is a great idea and, as far as I understand it, the runway and that side of things are still for sale but the questions arise:
1. If the runway etc is still for sale, the MOD will want top dollar and won't let it go cheaply, who has got the money to buy such a large site and how will they ever get a return from such a huge investment.
2. Will the planners ever let it return to aviation use? There are a suprisingly large number of NIMBYs, who were quite happy when it was an operational base but are vociferous opponents of any aeroplane/helicopter thats makes more noise than a sparrow farting. Daft I know, but they can be very well organised and cause a lot of problems for sensible developers.
3. The eco town plan has gone out of the window but there's no reason why it wouldn't become an industrial develoment area, if this was to be proven to be an employment booster there's every chance that the government would cough up for a basic link road or road improvements to the A140 from Coltishall. This would employ far more people than any aviation enterprise.
The sensible thing to have done would have been, the moment that the MOD announced Coltishall was closing, to start redeveloping the site as the 2nd Norwich Airport. I am told that in 2006 a consortium of 2 major UK builders approached the County Council and offered to buy Norwich Airport on the basis that they put half the money up front, (to start the redevelopment of Coltishall and build the A140 link road), followed by the rest on the day Coltishall was ready to open as a the new Norwich Airport.
660 acres @ the price of prime building land in 2006 = well you work it out!
I wish Catherine et al all the best, but I think they've got an almighty battle on their hands and I can't see them getting anywhere.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It sounds like an excellent idea.
The maintenance cost of the runway itself is not that great. If you look at ex-WW2 hard runways which have not had any maintenance in 65 years, they are now breaking up but most of it is still there, and even the worst one I've ever seen (say Andreas on the IOM) could be turned into a brand new tarmaced surface for about £200k. The Colt runway would be good for a few decades, IMHO.
Obviously the maintenance cost on buildings is pretty significant. The solution would be to do what every other successful GA airport has done: have a load of commercial property (a trading estate, basically) on the site.
The maintenance cost of the runway itself is not that great. If you look at ex-WW2 hard runways which have not had any maintenance in 65 years, they are now breaking up but most of it is still there, and even the worst one I've ever seen (say Andreas on the IOM) could be turned into a brand new tarmaced surface for about £200k. The Colt runway would be good for a few decades, IMHO.
Obviously the maintenance cost on buildings is pretty significant. The solution would be to do what every other successful GA airport has done: have a load of commercial property (a trading estate, basically) on the site.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can you tell me which Authority the Ex R.A.F Coltishall runway lies in? As I understand it, half is in Broadland and half is in North Norfolk.
Which Authority does Councillor Wilkins preside in? and which is the route to contact her?
Sorry to ask so many questions, but it's too good a facility to lose.
Kevin Smith
Which Authority does Councillor Wilkins preside in? and which is the route to contact her?
Sorry to ask so many questions, but it's too good a facility to lose.
Kevin Smith
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've just e-mailed Cath Wilkins. I live in North Walsham and currently fly a microlight from Northrepps. I've used the base facilities in the past in my job, but now retired. It is an excellent runway with plenty of spare hangarage. I know the prison is nearing completion (flew over it last weekend) but the rest of the airfield site is laying dormant at present. It would be a shame to see it turned into a giant lorry park or returned to farmland.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Norwich
Age: 54
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you
On behalf of Cllr. Wilkins I have been asked to say thank you for, what has so far been, actually an overwhelming response. Despite that fact that very few responses appear tagged to this thread, many emails per day have been sent to Cllr. Wilkins - not all of which she has had time to respond to.
She has been approached by not only many private individuals, but also a number of businesses, non-profit organisations and charities. All with a keen interest in maintaining aviation use at Coltishall. Unfortunately, I have been asked not to reveal details at the moment because most of the 'big boys' have specifically requested that their interest remain undisclosed at this stage.
Please register your interest in Coltishall with her at the email address provided if you have not done so already; she is continuing to work hard on our behalf, and I look forward to providing an update soon.
She has been approached by not only many private individuals, but also a number of businesses, non-profit organisations and charities. All with a keen interest in maintaining aviation use at Coltishall. Unfortunately, I have been asked not to reveal details at the moment because most of the 'big boys' have specifically requested that their interest remain undisclosed at this stage.
Please register your interest in Coltishall with her at the email address provided if you have not done so already; she is continuing to work hard on our behalf, and I look forward to providing an update soon.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Norwich
Age: 54
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
