Re New Proposed UK Airport At Cliffe
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Re New Proposed UK Airport At Cliffe
Hi
Reading recent reports, about the proposal for a new airport at Cliffe, it seems that the proposal is a red herring, to detract from increasing runways at other London Airports. It seems to me that the more practical answer would be to increase the size of Southend Airport if this is logically possible.
It would be interest to hear views of the knowledgeable.
Regards Martin Burney
Reading recent reports, about the proposal for a new airport at Cliffe, it seems that the proposal is a red herring, to detract from increasing runways at other London Airports. It seems to me that the more practical answer would be to increase the size of Southend Airport if this is logically possible.
It would be interest to hear views of the knowledgeable.
Regards Martin Burney
Problem is, it's actually an ideal site for many reasons. There are very good motorway and rail links, it's ideally placed for any traffic heading to the continent or Eastern Europe, the Isle of Grain is very flat and relatively sparsely populated (OK, three villages would go).
Downsides - a large bird population, so birsdtrike / conservationist problems. One GA strip will be squashed (Stoke). The existing GA corridor to Kent and Essex will be further constricted.
You may be right, but I think this should be taken seriously.
What I can't understand is why (a) the government insists on allowing everything (industry, population, transport) to be concentrated in the SE, and (b) why none of the many military or factory airfields closed down over the last 20 years can't be re-used.
G
Downsides - a large bird population, so birsdtrike / conservationist problems. One GA strip will be squashed (Stoke). The existing GA corridor to Kent and Essex will be further constricted.
You may be right, but I think this should be taken seriously.
What I can't understand is why (a) the government insists on allowing everything (industry, population, transport) to be concentrated in the SE, and (b) why none of the many military or factory airfields closed down over the last 20 years can't be re-used.
G
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Southend airport is currently trying to extend the runway to accomodate the CAA requirement for run-off zones.
The problem that it has is that there is a very attractive Norman church just off the end of the runway. The airport has put up a very generous proposal to move the church, build a village hall etc, but this has run into opposition.
If the runoff zones are not built, then the runway length will have to be decreased to accomodate the zones within the existing runway length.
This will limit the size of aircraft that can use the airport and eventually, hey presto! another housing estate!
I think that our regional airports should be expanded to take a bigger volume of short-haul traffic, rather than just have two or three enormous airports serving the entire country.
Genghis, as a buirdwatcher myself, Cliffe is too precious to be built on. The Thames estuary is a habitat of international importance.
The problem that it has is that there is a very attractive Norman church just off the end of the runway. The airport has put up a very generous proposal to move the church, build a village hall etc, but this has run into opposition.
If the runoff zones are not built, then the runway length will have to be decreased to accomodate the zones within the existing runway length.
This will limit the size of aircraft that can use the airport and eventually, hey presto! another housing estate!
I think that our regional airports should be expanded to take a bigger volume of short-haul traffic, rather than just have two or three enormous airports serving the entire country.
Genghis, as a buirdwatcher myself, Cliffe is too precious to be built on. The Thames estuary is a habitat of international importance.
I agree totally about expanding the regional airports - and whilst at it, enforcing clearway rules.
But, at risk of seeming ignorant, would building an airport in the centre of the Isle of Grain really have that huge an effect on the bird populations in the Medway and Thames estuaries? So far as I can see, the airport wouldn't actually impact on the areas I'm used to seeing all the bird population, and the airliners would be at 1500ft+ as they went overhead, well above normal seabird operating heights? I'm sure it would become noisy and unpleasant for people, but the birds?
Please don't get upset with me for saying that, I really don't know the answer and it seems a fair question to ask.
G
N.B. Have you read Rockets Galore by Compton Mackenzie, which has a great bearing on the case.
But, at risk of seeming ignorant, would building an airport in the centre of the Isle of Grain really have that huge an effect on the bird populations in the Medway and Thames estuaries? So far as I can see, the airport wouldn't actually impact on the areas I'm used to seeing all the bird population, and the airliners would be at 1500ft+ as they went overhead, well above normal seabird operating heights? I'm sure it would become noisy and unpleasant for people, but the birds?
Please don't get upset with me for saying that, I really don't know the answer and it seems a fair question to ask.
G
N.B. Have you read Rockets Galore by Compton Mackenzie, which has a great bearing on the case.
