28 Day rule for UK airstrips under threat
 

Having just looked at the Action For Airfields site,

http://www.airfields.org.uk/

I see that the deadline for making views known to the Govt on its review of lnd & planning is 24th April 2002 :eek: :eek: :eek:

This review may place several small airstrips at risk.

Therefore, I strongly urge all GA pilots (and anyone else for that matter) to (a) look at the action for airfields site and (b) if you agree with their sentiments write a letter similar to this........
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the attention of Mr Iain Clark
Development Control Policy Division
Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Zone 4/J3, Eland House
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU

11 April 2002
Dear Iain

With regard to Central Government’s review of the entire planning system, and in particular, future policy on temporary land use ("the 28 day planning rule"), I would like to make my views known to you.

In answer to the following questions in your review, my answers are noted below:

Question 17 asks: "Which option for temporary use provision do you most favour. Would you prefer an alternative option not set out in the paper?"

My view = Option 1 – No Change

Question 18 asks: "Why do you prefer your chosen option?"

My view - As a recreational pilot, I support the continuance of the numerous small airstrips that exist in the UK. Indeed, with development and legislation placing more and more restriction on General Aviation (GA), I would say that the continuance of private airstrips is essential to maintain GA in the UK.

It is apparent that the review has been driven by concerns about car boot sales and temporary markets, motor sports such as stock car racing, and clay pigeon shooting. Unfortunately, GA will be caught up in any changes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks if you do, all you aviators....:)

Believe it or not writing a letter in support really does count (if there are enough) The anti-aviation lobby will kill aviation in the UK if given half a chance, reversing it will be impossible.

Mine is in the post!

C'mon everyone, its not hard to copy'n'paste and add a stamp now is it!?

Andy :rolleyes:

No, but it would be even easier it there was an email address to send it to.......

Anyone got one?

:)

sennadog - I think you miss the point. The govt. make such things hard to see if anyone really cares. If all it took was an e-mail, the government's mail server would be dead now!

I'm putting pen to paper as this is a rule that not only benefits GA greatly, but is also to my mind very 'English'. Why shouldn't we hold a car-boot sale, or a motor-cross, or a fly-in on a bit of land we happen to own, without having to go through the planning process - if we only do it very occasionaly, we're not likely to upset too many people, nor are we going to clog up the planning system with piddling little local events.

Lets keep this at the top until 24th April folks !!!

Quite right about the Government - solid graspable letters are best, but in any case no email contact point has been publicised.

Come on, it's only the cost of a stamp for heavens sake !!!! and the exercise walking it to the postbox will benefit you toward your next medical...

28 Day rule for UK airstrips under threat
 

PoetPilot,

Thanks for posting this: my reply has just gone in the postbox.

Talk about the insidious steady errosion of small liberties.....

Ripline

All it takes is 5 mins from each the 100s of people who look at this forum...

Mine's in the post

Thanks people, dead right Phil.......

If we let this sort of stuff go on, it'll soon be a matter of only being allowed out of our house 28 days a year. Talk about nanny state....... it's getting totally ridiculous.

Meantime, the Big Boy developers jump into bed with local authorities with Big Wads of dosh and freebie holidays to the sun, buy up our land and develop....... more houses. I feel SOOO angry:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Fair point.....
 

tacpot - yep, I see where you're coming from!
I'm going to type it up and send it on - my writing is atrocious.

Posted.

LF

Sennadog, just copy the text out of the thread mate !! will save you all that tryping. Could even use a window envelope so the address shows ...
;)

Posted

TZ

:)

Posted.

Reasons for not spending 5 minutes and a first class stamp:

a. "Letters don't make a difference, they're going to do what they like anyway"

Not true. We got a few letters written in support of Rochester, only a few, perhaps because we weren't organised, but they made a difference. The bigotted fu**wits who want to shut the airfield were aggrieved by being bothered, the supporters were heartened. Lots of letters sent now will allow somebody at some stage in the future to ask somebody "How many letters have been recieved in support of no change?"

b. "Loads of people sending the same sort of letter will just look like a letter writing campaign"

So what? The antis organise letter writing campaigns - if we don't do the same the powers that be will just think that nobody cares enough to keep farm strips

c. "I'm never going to put my clean, fragile aircraft into a muddy boggy field without tarmac, refuelling and a crash crew - why do I care if farmer Giles can't fly her crate out of her back garden"

Because farmer Giles and her friends are the grass roots of aviation. They need to be trained, they need to revalidate, they need engineering, they need fuel. They get all of this at your lovely tarmac, proper airfield - and your field needs their wonga as much as it needs yours.

Just do it.



Steve R

Yep, back to the top.

Can this also be posted on other forums too, I suspect the Wannabes forum may provide a fair amount of support too.

Mods could that be sorted out please ?

ta.

GB :)

... on it's way courtesy of Consignia....


... maybe the next time these people are on the way to their next overseas holiday destination, they should take a moment to reflect on the fact that the 2 people up front doing the poleing started out at the type of places they are trying to shutdown.... :(

... its amazing how many people are up for encouraging grassroots <everthing>, except aviation...:mad: :mad:

Just my 2p worth

Sky

[edited for misspelling Aveashun...can you believe it :eek:]

...back to the top

that's mine posted

What a splendid response. Yes everyone should write and what is more for those that have the time, knowledge and inclination a few more well chosen letters on GA issues may well appear on these pages. THEN others may just use them ( as some one above said cut and paste is so easy) to further the interests of the GA community. Well done and keep them coming. If an e-mail is available I would use that AS WELL AS SNAIL MAIL - just to be sure. We have to bear some small costs in keeping us all airborne.

FLYER now have this as an item in their latest issue.

Great Stuff! keep the letters coming guys & gals

Letter sent :)