New Northrepps airfield
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New Northrepps airfield
This from the Northrepps site
http://www.northreppsaerodrome.co.uk/
NEW NORTHREPPS AIRFIELD:
As many of you are aware, The Existing Northrepps International comes to an end at the August 2007. The site was opened in 1968 by my late Uncle Joe Gurney of Northrepps Hall. We were given a lease with a peppercorn rent for my lifetime. Joe learnt to fly back in the 1930’s and continued to do so until the late 1960’s and continued to enjoy seeing aircraft there until He died. His eldest son and family are not so keen and last August offered us a new lease that would be unworkable and not viable for us to continue. This, combined with new housing and many newcomers to the village has meant that we seek a new home. We have therefore applied for planning permission to put a new airfield, to be called Northrepps Aerodrome, down the road on my land. We have to vacate our present home by the end of August 2007. There will be more news on this in our next newsletters
The Eastern Daily Press has more:
Operator Chris Gurney said they were poised to put in plans for land at Winspurs Farm, midway between Crossdale Street and Thorpe Market on the Cromer to North Walsham Road,."It is only about three fields away across the railway line. It would give us a bit more space and a longer airstrip. Plus it is well out of the way with no houses on the flight path."
The current strip was close to Northrepps which was growing with new housing and immediately next to a road which was also getting busier, he said.The proposed new site also had a phone line, which was required under new rules and which would be hugely expensive to provide at the current strip.
He had been talking to the planning officials and the Civil Aviation Authority about the move, and was expecting to have to provide an environmental impact study with the applications.
If the strip relocates it will be its third move. It began closer to Crossdale Street just outside Northrepps Park in the 1930s, started by Mr Gurney's late uncle Joe, a flying fan, before switching to Roughton Heath and moving to its current home in 1968.
The existing field, which has a tongue-in-cheek title of Northrepps International, has changed little - apart from adding a second "terminal" - with a family- sized caravan for a clubhouse and control tower instead of its former beach bathing hut.
Mr Gurney stressed the move had nothing to do with two recent crashes at the existing field - which accident reports put down to pilot error.
It is an unlicensed airfield, which hosts tourists flying in to visit the area in a variety of aircraft. This year they included pop singer Jay Kay from Jamiroquai who dropped in during July in his personalised silver and green helicopter with the index letters G-JKAY.
The field has also been used by crop spaying aircraft, and larger helicopters. It is also home to a radio controlled model aircraft club.
A newsletter on the airstrip's revamped website www.northreppsaerodrome.co.uk said a new lease offered on the existing field was "unworkable and not viable", hence the search for a new home, and a new name.
http://www.northreppsaerodrome.co.uk/
NEW NORTHREPPS AIRFIELD:
As many of you are aware, The Existing Northrepps International comes to an end at the August 2007. The site was opened in 1968 by my late Uncle Joe Gurney of Northrepps Hall. We were given a lease with a peppercorn rent for my lifetime. Joe learnt to fly back in the 1930’s and continued to do so until the late 1960’s and continued to enjoy seeing aircraft there until He died. His eldest son and family are not so keen and last August offered us a new lease that would be unworkable and not viable for us to continue. This, combined with new housing and many newcomers to the village has meant that we seek a new home. We have therefore applied for planning permission to put a new airfield, to be called Northrepps Aerodrome, down the road on my land. We have to vacate our present home by the end of August 2007. There will be more news on this in our next newsletters
The Eastern Daily Press has more:
Operator Chris Gurney said they were poised to put in plans for land at Winspurs Farm, midway between Crossdale Street and Thorpe Market on the Cromer to North Walsham Road,."It is only about three fields away across the railway line. It would give us a bit more space and a longer airstrip. Plus it is well out of the way with no houses on the flight path."
The current strip was close to Northrepps which was growing with new housing and immediately next to a road which was also getting busier, he said.The proposed new site also had a phone line, which was required under new rules and which would be hugely expensive to provide at the current strip.
He had been talking to the planning officials and the Civil Aviation Authority about the move, and was expecting to have to provide an environmental impact study with the applications.
If the strip relocates it will be its third move. It began closer to Crossdale Street just outside Northrepps Park in the 1930s, started by Mr Gurney's late uncle Joe, a flying fan, before switching to Roughton Heath and moving to its current home in 1968.
The existing field, which has a tongue-in-cheek title of Northrepps International, has changed little - apart from adding a second "terminal" - with a family- sized caravan for a clubhouse and control tower instead of its former beach bathing hut.
Mr Gurney stressed the move had nothing to do with two recent crashes at the existing field - which accident reports put down to pilot error.
It is an unlicensed airfield, which hosts tourists flying in to visit the area in a variety of aircraft. This year they included pop singer Jay Kay from Jamiroquai who dropped in during July in his personalised silver and green helicopter with the index letters G-JKAY.
The field has also been used by crop spaying aircraft, and larger helicopters. It is also home to a radio controlled model aircraft club.
A newsletter on the airstrip's revamped website www.northreppsaerodrome.co.uk said a new lease offered on the existing field was "unworkable and not viable", hence the search for a new home, and a new name.
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As an occasional visitor to this international airport, I would like to wish you all the best for your relocation. The welcome is always outstanding, and the lifts into Cromer for meals of local crab are much appreciated. I only hope that the recent antics of two individuals trying to get unsuitable aircraft into this short strip (or using unsuitable piloting decisions) have not jeopardised the future of this great part of the British aviation scene.
Should I get the chance to fly up to the present strip, I look forward to seeing you again.
All the best for the new strip, Chris.
Should I get the chance to fly up to the present strip, I look forward to seeing you again.
All the best for the new strip, Chris.
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Very interesting news.
Does anybody here know of anybody (anywhere in the UK) who has managed to get a full planning permission for an airfield, from scratch, even for a very small number of movements?
Does anybody here know of anybody (anywhere in the UK) who has managed to get a full planning permission for an airfield, from scratch, even for a very small number of movements?
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I believe Chris' situation is slightly different as he is moving approx 1 mile, to an area further away from the airfield's neighbours.
I could not see anyone objecting or see the LA being unhappy with the introduction of a new use.
I could not see anyone objecting or see the LA being unhappy with the introduction of a new use.
540, Insch in Aberdeenshire, it took the planners all of two minutes to grant it. Sadly, England is a different kettle of fish.
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Does anybody here know of anybody (anywhere in the UK) who has managed to get a full planning permission for an airfield, from scratch, even for a very small number of movements?
). I suspect PP was facilitated due to the particular circumstances.... Also Popham (un-licenced) from the mid/late 1970's .. and that was anything but straightforward to establish.
Slip
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I could not see anyone objecting or see the LA being unhappy with the introduction of a new use.
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As somebody who works for said Local Authority, I am not aware of any objections being raised thus far but will keep my eyes and ears open!
Cheers
Whirls
Cheers
Whirls
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I was thinking about establishing a private-use strip, not a busy open-to-all airfield like say Popham. And with a small hangar.
With a movement limit of say 10/week, one could not really allow any visitors, yet one could get a useful runway. With GA airports closing, this is likely to be the future of GA in the southern UK - for aircraft owners anyway.
However, if Popham was established from scratch (was it?) the arguments used would be very interesting. I gather that detailed noise surveys would be needed, but TBH I have not found anybody who has actually done this for real.
With a movement limit of say 10/week, one could not really allow any visitors, yet one could get a useful runway. With GA airports closing, this is likely to be the future of GA in the southern UK - for aircraft owners anyway.
However, if Popham was established from scratch (was it?) the arguments used would be very interesting. I gather that detailed noise surveys would be needed, but TBH I have not found anybody who has actually done this for real.
