It's clearly meant to be our very own RAF London Kent Manston Margate Tracey Emin Chas 'n' Dave Maggie Thatcher Schipol Skyport Poundland International Airport, as its planes fly directly over some Ramsgate houses...
History might conclude that the decline of both was the development of an appetite by the British public for holidays in the sun, jetting off to the likes of Majorca and Benidorm from conveniently placed airports (for the majority) like Gatwick and Heathrow. In which case, we've only got ourselves to blame.
But that's history. And yes, we do seem to have plenty of history here in Thanet. Not only that, but a history of trying to bring history back to life - Dreamland, the Ramsgate Tunnels, Ramsgate Motor Museum and so on. Despite being a commercial disaster, the airport too has a proud history as an RAF base, and it's only fitting that the fly-boys should today be doing their best to wave it off in an appropriately disciplined manner, without the hysterical wailing and gnashing of teeth that has mostly accompanied the closure.
Who knows? Like the Save Dreamlanders, the Save Manstoners may one day, in the dim and distant future, get their airport back as an historic attraction. Albeit, most likely, on a much reduced scale.
125 comments:
That is the only house building that I would welcome here - a new model village.
Poole & Fenner resigned!!!! Fecking brilliant news for Ramsgate and Thanet!!!!!
Haven't had the decency I understand to resign as Councillors!
Did you see the BBC SE today report at 1330 including how a businessman involved with the bid to buy Manston attempted to mislead the High Court over his business dealings?
No doubt it will be repeated at 6.30.
Maybe the Manston owners are on the ball concerning carpet the credibility of the bids.
Three down One to go?
Macgonigal out. Poole is an independent now? Or left council ? The independent group have control
Its Mrs Gloags Airfield, she can do what she wants with it and is.
We should all welcome a new chapter for Thanet and new opportunities for that land and Thanet.
Cameron and Gale are living with there heads in the clouds, they clearly do not understand business, and should not get involved, Gales comment of corporate vandalism was disgusting, compared to what his government has done, food banks, homelessness, poverty, all this in an alleged improving economy in a country with the worlds 5th largest economy. they are the disgrace.
See D Smithson has another intelligent comment.
If the government are involved I wouldn't trust them or talk to them, I hope Gloag doesn't listen to these hypocrites, they will stich up the people of Thanet just to save a hobby
Reproduction model Manston Aerodrome
Features Simon the Banner towing gnome
3 square perch attraction
Former ruling faction
As obsolete as Ian Driver's comb
McGonical the Rhymer
I don't trust the government either. I would much rather listen to a fat bloke from Ramsgate who runs a restaurant for financial advice.
Time to look to the future. House's businesses or new energy farm will all bring some employment and disposable income to the area. I only feel sorry for the flying club.
For me' its not the airport I have come to hate its their campaigners and as they represent the airport I have come to hate it all it will close tomorrow and unless the offer steps up by a few £100,000,000 it will be built on
It has shown me how the other towns around Ramsgate think of people from Ramsgate and that has pissed me off no end
So am I glad its closing yes am I happy that all the crap people that have had snide comments like why did you buy a house there and if you dont like the change (night flights / expansion) then move you bet im happy that they have LOST their fight to keep us here in Ramsgate suppressed
This came up during PMQ's today. Cameron pretty much rebuffed Gale stating that at the end of the day it'll just be a commercial decision that'll be made.
I believe Ann is going to build a bagpipe factory at Manston and carry out testing at Midnight in Ramsgate.
When I was looking to move to another part of Thanet one consideration was the railway. If a house was adjacent to the mainline then even if everything else was ok the house was not what I wanted. I suppose I could have bought a house near the line and campaigned for the line to close then all the DFLs wouldn't be able to get to work.
I guess us DFLs are a bit more savvy than the lumpen locals. When I moved to Ramsgate I knew the airport was on its last legs and that with some judicious lobbying in the right places it could be killed off completely. Now I have a lovely refurbished Victorian house by the sea with no planes flying over whose value is likely to double in the next ten years and a high speed train service to whisk me to my high paid job in town. If you want an airport on your doorstep there's nothing stopping you moving to Crawley, Hounslow or Luton.
There you go, another of Gale and his Governments mates involved in the proposed purchase of Manston as been exposed as a fraudster, surprised no, why, it has the Governments finger prints all over it. it is a commercial enterprise which has failed since the day it stopped being an RAF base, any other business would have been wound up long ago no mater where or how big it was, this is no different, it is a business, it is a failing business, a respectable hard working business Lady has done what she can and concluded which many apart from the deluded have known for years. its not commercially viable. many have tried and no one can make it work, and outside of Gale and his buddies with trench coats full of Rolexes' and genuine 18 carrot gold chains going cheap know this.
Build Boris island much nearer London, off shore which it should be on this island, purpose built and will provide 10s of thousands of genuine jobs in the building of it, and the running, that is a real viable project.
Its not far to Lydd or Gatwick, there is life outside of Thanet, and thanet, Gloag or the airfield, doesn't owe you a job, if you have to do what many do and travel. London, Medway, Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury, and bring some money back to thanet earnt elsewhere.
Good bye airfield in your RAF days, you were useful, you served a purpose, when you retired as an RAF base, you should have closed and enjoyed a much needed retirement. instead others kept you suffering on life support for too long, rest in peace. better to have fond memories of what it once was and have the museums than, see it suffer still further.
Now bring on the bright future which regeneration of the airport as a multi use site will bring to Ramsgate and all of Thanet.
Is Gale for real, do you realise how many times he has contradicted himself since all this started, still another election coming up and it can't do him any harm can it?
I hope Gale works as hard when there are more NHS cuts and services cut from Thanet QEQM, when there are more School employee redundancies, When people are being made homeless due to the Tories bedroom tax laws, as I don't remember him being that determined over those.
Let's hope the Manston site is quickly cleared of buildings and dumped jets rather than left derelict like Dreamland or Pleasurama or Hoverport
A few sonngs for your Ipod for tomorrow:
Helloween - Silent Rain
Tmeloes - Silence is golden
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
Simon And Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence
Kamelot - Silence Of The Darkness
Enigma - Silence Must Be Heard
Starsailor - Silence is Easy
Sonata Arctica - ...Of Silence
Mike and the mechanics - Silent running on dangerous ground
Not forgetting - Silent night.
8.35
I'm sure she'll waste no time clearing the site.
By the way, did the Manstophiles ever get a response from the increasingly desperate and hilarious list of A and B listers they were throwing out messages to?
What were your favourites? Mine was Ant & Dec until I saw Bruce Springsteen approached late yesterday afternoon. Also, some horsey woman thought that the equestrian community might sell a few old nags and gallop to the rescue.
The CAA licence will formally be removed at midnight tonight. Are they aware of that d'yer think? In their loopy business world the Manstophiles assume that Ms Gloag bought an airport and none of her advisors thought to mention the stumbling block of an Aviation Licence.
She has run rings around the lot of them. That said, it hasn't exactly been much of a challenge for her.
The sadly characteristic Thanetian
Rejects the concept of obsoletion
He endlessly whinges
And flavours and tinges
Cockneys and Council his blame game completion
McGonical the Rhymer
The airport's days were running out the day that Ms Gloag bought it as prime building land. She had no intention of running it as a going concern and it was simply a question of what she considered was a decent interval before closing it today.
We would be naive not to think that the plans for housing on the now largest brown-field site in Kent are not already drawn up and will soon arrive at TDC Planning. Its what Gloag has done before and her core business was always property development. Consider the price tag in a rapidly rising house prices environment for 5 bed-roomed properties on the southern side of the site? Unparalleled views of the Stour valley and Pegwell Bay that Londoners and others will pay a premium for? There is nothing that TDC can do to stop housing development on a brown field site and if they were to try an appeal would pass it. Do i feel sorry about it? No. EKO and those behind the Manston Village on agricultural land project will be spitting. I wonder if there is a covenant lurking around about returning former MOD property back to farmland in the event of no further use as an airport as was the case with various airfields in East Anglia.? That might screw up Gloag.
Total fantasy, 6:13, for there is no high paid job and you certainly aren't brighter than the locals. You always forget that we know you are, your DNA is over every comment you make and it is all make believe in your case.
Correction, 5:41, whose wife runs a restaurant in Ramsgate while he sits at his PC getting fatter. Mind you, he is a DFL so much brighter than us local inbreds.
Rumours of Kim Gibson leaving Labour on Cllr Moores blog. True?
Hahahahaha.....
Some actor who played someone called 'Minty' in the ever-popular BBC soap Eastenders' has come out in favour of Manston!!!
He was in the light aircraft whose HP2 batteries were knackered this morning. Has Gloag been told???
Blustery Gale says that the tax-payer must continue to stump up hard cash in case Daniella Westbrook or Dean Gaffney run into similar problems in the course of the next few decades.
A Bargain I'd say!
I see that a plane with engine problems did an emergency landing at Manston today. Next time it could crash onto Ramsgate instead.
Yes it's easy to tell DFL dna 11:51 it doesn't have the special extra Thanet chromosome.
Sure you'd be delighted PC. idiot..
2.14
Perhaps pilots could check their bloody fuel gauges before they set off. You know, like most do before driving a car. Der.
A cynic might claim that this was just a rather lame publicity stunt.......
2.14
Or perhaps it wouldn't be over Ramsgate in the first place as there will be no airport. Glad to have cleared that one up.
No, I want it to land on an airport. Fat twat.
2.54
You are such a rude and excitable little perv aren't you. Language. Tut tut.
These keep manston open lot must think Ms Gloag is nieve, a small plane with a celebrity on it lands there in an emergency now he's joined the keep it open BAFTA award to all, with Gale going doolally and his government better not use our money to help with people kids and elderly in poverty, and dodgy businessman wanting to buy it, the sooner the licence ends and it shuts and the sooner we have a new MP the better. For all.
This Manston lot should see it as new opportunities to work in other areas and trades, retrain, they are such doom mongers the lot of them.
Your right the other towns don't give a monkies for Ramsgate, as long as they can eat cucumber sandwiches and someone subsidises the airport so they can work there and spit planes.
30.000 people are effected by that airfield and they did not want night flights, this ensures it.
Apparently RiverPoke have offerred the asking price (Is there such a thing?)
She doesn't want to sell but if she does there'll be comedy value in an American rather than Scottish business doing their thing with RAF Departed.
Re:2.54
Dyes his own hair, allegedly. 'Friends' turn on their heels and snigger.....
Last minute deal? Asking price has been offered to Ann Gloag at 3pm on closure day.
There are none so smug as DFLs living on the flightpath to Manston. Now you will be able to hear the church bells ringing and the cocks crowing.
53 minutes and counting...
DEAL ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!
Riveroak were rejected for not being credible. As you expect with Gale and Freudmann involved. Good riddance to Manston and here's to a better future for Thanet.
5 mins and counting
Hands up all DFLs who live in Ramsgate and for idealogical reasons have never even looked at Manston for an overseas trip, preferring the nightmare which is Gatwick/Heathrow/Stansted, even though Manston would have been the cheaper option.
Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong....its gone. Thank god.
Now that it's shut once and for all, the supporters who said that Thanet would die without the airport, can all go and live somewhere else. Presumably, there will be lots of relatively cheap housing available near other airports which are being expanded. I'm looking forward to it. Thanet will be shot of a whole bunch of arrogant, loud-mouthed know-it-alls who have been consistently wrong.
Just saw the closure on South East news. Not many local accents in evidence.
4:59.. not many hands up.. As a loathed DFL I tried a couple of times and found it was way cheaper to fly from Gatwick.. including a cab both ways. Sorry.. it was never going to compete .. and that had NOTHING to do with DFL's or night flights.
C2518/14:
Aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) closed
Q) EGTT/QAZLC/IV/NBO/AE/000/022/5121N00121E003
FOR THE PURPOSES OF RULE 45 OF THE RULES OF THE AIR REGULATIONS 2007
THE MANSTON ATZ IS INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED.
FROM: 16 May 2014 00:00 GMT (01:00 BST) TO: 14 Aug 2014 23:59 GMT (15 Aug 00:59 BST)
So, hopefully that's that cleared up Manstophiles. Info from Professional Pilot's group earlier on. The licence has 55 minutes to run as I correctly stated here earlier.
Now you've got what you wanted I hope you can sleep at night.
Time now for Mrs Gloag to ignore Gale and all political persons, ignore any pressure and mak a sustainable legacy for the future of thanet with a mixed use development site. The local thanet council, kcc and government are powerless to refuse planning as its sustainable development and a brown field site.
If they did refuse it can be overturned on independent appeal.
Thank you Ann Gloag for helping the 36.000 of Ramsgate and villages, speacial thanks from the young and the elderly, which can now rest easy and contribute to improving Thanet with you.
Infratil were running it with other peoples money and would have lost serious face and the board their jobs as they had invested millions in running the airport.
Gloag was using her own spends and closed it within six months.
Sad for the people working there, but they've been lucky to have a job for so long propped up by NZ pensioners. In the cold hearted commercial world such luxuries are rare.
Where in the public sector.................
It's not the going but the nature of the going that sticks in my craw.
i the asking price was met just proves it was never for sale in the first place and with puppets on the planning commitee its a done deal houses for dfls only locals cant afford them the london councils will pick up the rents
as no jobs for them parkway station still needed ?? o.no most wont work benifits pay more.
What this means is that Ramsgate is no longer blighted by an airport in close proximity. Anyone thinking of buying property in Rye Hythe or Folkestone should now seriously consider Ramsgate as alternative after all those towns ARE blighted by an expanding Lydd airport in very close proximity.
Unfortunately, 9.29am, the 'asking price' was met by a bunch of muppets, one of whom had a dodgy track record in the high court, and all of whom were land-grabbing asset strippers in the same mould as Our Annie. Introduced, of course, by that shining business light Roger Gale, the man who stood up in the House of Commons and asked a question on behalf of VAT fraudsters without doing any due diligence.
I'm sure Gloag didn't get to be a billionaire by believing the first shower of cretins who came along and offered her 'the asking price'.
Besides, a few mill is nothing to what she'll make by developing the place.
I cannot fault your summary ECR
Iris has the poison chalice now. And I wish her well with it.
I don't know if Pat Sebastian still lives in Thanet but if he stands again I think that would bring expertise and ethic into the picture.
What makes anyone think the asset strippers from America wouldn't do the same in time? Gale needs to now focus on all other issues local and national, he always said he did not want to raise expectation, but his constant "I just got off the phone from" and "I am meeting with" and the seriously abusive text toward Mrs Gloag has done him or the airport no favours, there are way to conduct your self, and I think he has been a politician for too long, and thinks he can do what he wants. Gale should have quietly worked away behind the scenes as opposed to using this as a platform for electioneering with, all he has done is make sure he has had maximum exposure for a prolonged period of time with an election coming up. Typical Tory, no real substance just wind.
Why not Manston, Cause its closed, Go to Lydd. get flights Get Jobs and stop Bitching. Its Over, this is life your not the first and will not be the last, this happens every day of the week in business around the country to thousands of people, there are no jobs in many places other than main large county towns and cities, but people travel to work, get used to it, you cannot keep an airport open because its convenient, it has to make money and it NEVER has. thank the Lord our politicians do not run business as Gale has shown a lot of naivety, and got peoples hopes up when the decision is with the Owner, she can do what she wishes within reasonable reason.
Put yourself In Ms Gloags shoes for a moment, really be genuinely impartial, what would you have done, I know what I would have done, and would have, no different from Ms Gloag. Move on, the real problem hear are the UKIP, Tory, Liberal Dems and Save Manston and why not Manston mob which attended the winter gardens raising false hope and expectation, why not have a go at them. Its gone, move on.
Gale says in the papers that this is time for direct negotiation without involvement from politicians, yet all he does is dab his finger in he cannot resist it, he also claims that derogatory comments do not help he accused Gloag of corporate vandalism. hypocrisy? he is now threatening Paul Carter leader of KCC of colluding with TDC's former leader and Gloag to build homes, how desperate is this man, it is a scatter gun approach. If Gloag wanted to deal with river oak, she would have done long ago, she does not want to deal with them and obviously has a vision, lets wait and see what it is, you never know it may be better than a failing airport, even his own government say they want more homes in the south east, is it such a bad thing if were homes or a multi facility area if done well, no it is not a bad thing. stop it now Gale, you beginning to lose credibility rapidly along with some of the iffy people which have been found to be involved, and you are embarrassing your self with contradictions, were not all sheep and follow blindly, some of us can see through you. At least Gloag has credibility, and I hope she does not stoop to deal with people with questionable motives.
Ramsgate and the surrounding villages Love Mrs Gloag. xxx
It's a business woman with a plan, and a plan she stuck to, she didn't get her wealth by backing down to either public or political pressure.
As an ex employee of the airport all I wanted was the truth, no sympathy no hatred towards me or pathetic threats of arrest for environmental crimes, just the truth. There is nothing worse than false hope when it's your job, now let it go please, I have and I have a new job and moved on.
Thanks Mrs Gloag for making Ramsgate a better place to live, theres already a change for the better in the feel of the place, this will lead to a better future for the entire area.
Niether Gale or any of the people he has associated himself with which includes bidders for the old airfield have any credibility
So what will iris do now she is in charge of TDC? How will the pollution be cleaned up?
Message to TDC, KCC, National Government, Gale, Riveroak, and All else. Manston is a former local airfield, it is now owned private property with a couple of business' on it, an industrial estate if you will, homes are being sold in Ramsgate and all surrounding villages every day since its closure, these new home owners may or may not have been told there used to be a former airfield near by but with no licence and no longer an airfield, moving to a quiet area of there liking to raise a family, or retire to as many do, and to buy holiday homes in peaceful areas such as Ramsgate, and the villages, will now make it impossable to re open as an airfield unless for a heliport only on a small section alone. The legal challenges could mount and compensation be a lot for all the residents.
Thank you Mrs Gloag, this closure has been a long time coming, you have given the residents there lives back.
Ms Gloag, now make manston a multi use site, business and homes. It will be the best project in the Southeast, and will leave a legacy to be a crowning achievment for you. Dont be bullied by Gale and his idiot mates or government wherever they are local or otherwise.
Hi Ann with all this good weather, would you mind if my mates and me raceds some cars on the runway and threw a BBQ promise we will not leave a mess.
We want liesure facilities, homes, retail, and business at Manston, it will bring hundreds of jobs, income to the area, and attract visitors without pollution, and noise.
No one based on sound business decisions and facts would ever build an airport, in thanet or even east kent, no economic sence as a business. While we are at it the impirtance of manston as an aitfield has been overstated greatly, shame on you gale and east kent chamber of commerce and business. Idiots, how do these people get these positions, its gone now get over it, Gloag is an example of a superb business women with her ethic, charitable work and has done it all herself by being diligent and hard working.
There are many examples of old WW2 airfields which are no good as modern day airfields which have been turned into successful and great developments of many kinds in this country.
Another Gale contradiction, if it was not commercially viable you could understand it, well 5 weeks ago he Met Gloag and said he saw it wss not being commercially viable with its huge losses, he has lost it, his transport secretary had it right a month ago, manston is not in anyones aviation plans, it is not essential to the country in any way, losing it would have no impact, and what the owner does with the former airfield is her busines.
As a consistent supporter of the airport, I am finding the pro-airport campaign to be embarrassing. Having lost the battle they have published a ludicrous missive pressing everybody to write to a long list of MP's to beg for their support.
This is madness. These MP's are elected to represent their constituencies. They have no interest in Manston. Having been rebuffed twice in the House of Commons, Roger Gale should really have told these people that the game is over and that all is lost.
Are we really to be subjected to years of whingeing about what might have been or are we big enough to move on and talk about the future? In my view, if we do not engage quickly with discussion of the possible alternatives we are likely to end up with the developers setting the agenda.
I propose that the "Keep Calm and save Manston" group be refocused to ensure that Manston is developed in a way that aids the Isle's economy and generates jobs in the long-term.
Does that Churcher chap live locally? If so he might be the ideal person to lead this campaign.
Why Not Manston need not give up. With Boris' plan to close Heathrow they can simply move on there and become Why Not Heathrow. In fact they have already got the slogans;
It has the longest runway in UK
It has trains to London in under an hour
It can support thousands of jobs
BUT WITH HEATHROW THEY ARE TRUE
Marksman
can use the same m
Doesn't matter what the local and country's government say Gloag has the law on her side, she has conducted herself with a steely determination, and with integrity.
Well its over. Just like to thank ECR for providing this forum where those of us who knew all along the Manston was never viable could voice opinions. I did try posting on the T Shirt wearer's website but surprise - they don't like facts.
I will miss the guy who always posted that there was a deal with a big operator next week but couldn't name them. I will miss the one where someone posts something naff about fire cover and then there are 2 or 3 informative posts correcting it (its almost as though the first one was put there deliberately). I will miss Chcksfield's strident questions "what do you propose for economic development?" I wont miss endless posts of people accusing each other of being someone called Tim
People should stop whining about jobs, theres the tourist industry, renewable energies, harbours, fishing, builders, construction of all types, local authorities, hair, retail, factories, lawyers, accountants, magistrates, all white and blue coller jobs, I have by no means listef them all, skilled and unskilled, go get one either locally or travel a few miles.
Look forward to elections next year Roger Gale has carried on his fight against unacceptable capitalism by standing as an independent socialist. He has relinquished his knighthood as a feudal label of an exploiting empire. He was last seen on the RMT picket line of a tube strike - every ticket collector is a family bread winner, tragedy etc...
Marksman
This Manston rabble should really get on with there lives and stop seeing things were there is nothing, and listening to rumours, I now hear on the radio they are claiming a conspiracy as Lydd is expanding good news not too far go get a job, plus lydd does not fly over towns, look at it on google, moreover geographically, its better located in kent for its main towns and access as an air travel expert has stated. Along with many othervtravel experts saying, manston does not work in modern aviation, in not so many words. Dont forget Rochester airpirt much nearer london too, for you hobby flyers and plane spotters, theres life in thanet withoutvthe sirport, the world did not end ss predicted, and theres life out of thanet, go explore it.
If Roger Gale is so concerned by the job losses at Manston he should employ one of them as his office manager instead of "paying" his wife Suzy to do that role.
10.22 careful there because that is the biggest Nimby statement ever. You are happy for flying everywhere but Manston.
See on Kent on Sunday in an artical about Manston, its claimed Gloag misslead or lied about her intentions for the site, politicians don't lie, do they?
Wonder who the real nimbys are, look at rejected developments across north thanet due to public criticism
See gale has said how christian, and charitable Gloag is and a philanthropist, but closes manston, do not confuse those with business, a business is not a charity. No matter how much you want it to suceed or feel for it, it has to be profitable always.
Question
Is the terninology, actions and behaviour of Gale and the riveroak group meant to intimidate, threaten or force the sale, the government has no rights here in this case.
Stay strong Ms Gloag, don't allow these politicians from all levels and departments sway you, you have done the right thing, plus with land and property increasing in a big manner, it will be worth so much more in 6 months or more, over 30.000 people down here support you, you have to be realistic and as an airfield it was dead for 18 years, being carried, thats not good business, now it has a chance to become something so much more as a development site.
Not much wonder some Scots want independence, would you want to deal with these poloticians, no thanks. They are doing themselves no favours in picking up pet projects to champion and not other more worthy ones which yhey can influence such as NHS services leaving Thanet, but that might mean campaigning against there own government, and they don't have the balls, this issue keeps there name in the media so much with an election not far away, don't remember any poloticians campaigning when hundreds were made unemployed in margate at a print works years ago, or on any other major issues, are you really doing it for the people or the profile and votes?
Go to your own constituency Gale, this is South Thanet, and your not an elected member here.
3 days of peace and counting.
Gloag is a business woman and is doing what is right for her business, this is what a good CEO and share holder does for there business, they have a responsibility to it and have to act with ethics and integrity, Gloag has and followed the rules and gone beyond. Poloticians reading this may wish to check the meaning of some of the words here in a thesaurus or dictionary.
Same thing happened to chatham dock yard, many of the staff went through the same and that was a genuine huge employer and economic contributer, now the staff retrained had good careers and some have now retired, some went to other docks, and the area is betters and stronger for the re development a far better place, the formet airfield does not have the handy caps, in achieving similar in a shorter time scale that Chatham did.
If as some summise Manston development site becomes partly homes for the working, the affordable level (whatever that is) and some social housing were is the harm? The remainder can becom liesure, work place, and other development, homes are needed in the very neat future whether anyone likes it or not, do you want 15.000 new homes in westgate, birchington, kingsgate, broadstairs, minster, monkton,? Manston is ready made for it, and if done well, you may be suprised how it benefits the area, asthetically and in other ways, every one else is just scare mongering about londoners moving in to rented accommodation, let me tell you everyone has a right to a home social and otherwise, there is a vast shortage, and most people in thanetvare former (outsiders).
Most old airfields, become development land, this is not a bad thing if done well.
No matter which way you look at it, as a passanger or cargo airfield manston is 45 miles too far from london, forget fast trains, famalies cannot afford them, so parkway won't help, cargo once here hss to sit 2 hoyrs in a lorry going to a distribution centre in or around london, this means additional costs of transportation, this means that those costs will be placed onto the consumers purchase price. It tried for 20 years but failed long ago, as for new owners, another false dawn business plans are not often worth the paper written on, so what do you think the new proposed saviours will do when losses rack up, close and develop is the answer in case your struggling. It is now development land, and any new airpirts should be based conveniently and centrally within a county, to london or North of so to get greatest benefits for all.
The airport maybe closed but from what I hear Ann Gloag cannot build on it therefore it will remain an airfield. What will she do with it? in time she will have to sell it and in comes a company to make the airport work again. Just because Manston is closed doesn't mean to say its literally the end. Iris is meeting with Gloag to sort things out and David Cameron is going to help as well. Gloag can't over ride what the prime minister says, so while people gloat that its all over it really isn't.
Gale has a short term convenient memory which may only recollect what he believes was the case, lets dispence with fantasies for a moment,
1. Its not been given a chance, well its been given at least 4 chances that I am aware of over 18 yesrs or close to 20.
2. Its not been marketed correctly, it has been marketed as much as it can be by whatever previous owners have seen fit.
3. The new bidders are welcome and will make it work, they have a plan. I remember all the previous owners being greeted by fan fairs and parades, as visionaries with air flight and airport industry proven track records. Were are they now.
4. They have a business plan, so have they all and not one has come to within 30% of working.
5. Lydd expanding, Lydd is keeping to a tight restraint working budget, aiming at different market, and is better placed to london and kent central.
6. Gloag had no intention of running it long term, you do not run a failing business long term, all other owners of it either went bust or couldn't get rid of it quick enough for less than market value so they could be shot of it.
7. Its contaminated, its a war grave, it hss covenants, and we will not allow it to be developed, its no longer an airfield, its a former airfield site without licence, planning laws will apply no matter what any one says, theres no covenent, and the rest is BS. Oh contamination, best seal it right off then permanently, contamination will be cleared perhaps even by nature now no planes are there spilling fuel, and burning planes for training.
8. Gloag didn't give it a go, you do not open, run, or buy a business to run it into the ground, it was there already, if its not viable, its irresponsible to allow it to continue
9. Corporate vandalism, nothing of the sort and could be liable if he's not careful.
10, its needed for jobs and local economy and is of national importance, refer you to your own transport ministers comments weeks ago when repkying to gale following the adjournment question, of no importance locally or nationally, and is not in any consideration of reports for airport expantion for a number of reasons explored by experts in the industry. Jobs are short all over, what cannot be found locally, will have to do what many do living in thanet and travel.
11. Its in off the see and land, no theres ramsgate one side 25.000 people+ and villages the other with10.000 people +
Deal with facts and have evidence to back it with, or it will just be more talk from yet another politician. In short could more have been done over all the owners, perhaps a very little would it or night flights have changed the outcome, NO.
I cannot see any reason at all why Gloag cannot build on the airport it's her land. Besides in a dust-up between Cameron Iris and Gloag my money is on Gloag.
Why are politicians even involved, unless its for self promotion, or to hang on to a dream which in the cold light of day never stood a chance. let the business people which know best do business and the only time local government only need to get involved is when planning come in for consideration, which must be judged legally when considered. otherwise Mrs Gloag is not answerable to anyone, not even government self promoting poloticians.
I do not understand what the politicians locally and in Westminster are doing involved in this, Gloag is a proven ethical business woman, they have far bigger issues to worry about running TDC properly to get it out the gutter looking at the appalling goings on over the last 10 years, and government have a country far from recovered from a world wide recession, which may slip back into a home made one due to there policy of mortgage assisting, and the lack of properties on the market, more homes are needed to stem this, so the home made political housing bubble doesn't go bang, if that happens the Tories would have made a recession of there own.
The former airport site will make a superb development site, if its done well and with a lot of thought in the planning, it could be better than any garden city, or Kings Hill, it will solve many issues, and create hundreds of genuine jobs for many years to come in the construction of it.
2:03
It really is over. Please stop clinging to things you have heard: contamination / covenants/ and really don't put any credence in what politicians say (Cameroon didnt actually say anything of substance. Who is this future company who may buy the 'airfield' when they haven't bought it in the last 15 years. The contaminated land next to Rochester station is being built on now.
Move on
Do these local and national politicians not think that Gloag is used to overcoming obsticals, its as if they are tryingvto make it as hard as they can for her, Gloag began her business from scratch and achieved more than most people in her life, shes a stayer, and will not fail in whatever she wants to do, gloag will work diligently, i wonder if the politicians will eventually realise, its hers to do with what she wants, keep empty or develop, which must be thought about, its a former airfield now. Move on and create something for Thanet.
Everyone Leave Ann Gloag alone the women has done absolutely nothing wrong, and has a lawful entitlement to do what she legally pleases with the former Airfield site.
Wonder if all the politicians local or otherwise are acting ethically? There would be an outcry from government if the populous were behaving this way toward a government initiative. If I were Ann Gloag, I wouldn't trust any of them.
What would you like to see on the site other than airport, homes, liesure, nhs, doctor surgery, schools, higher education facilities, factories, prison, large retail, film studio, race track, centre parks, Zoo, another type of thanet earth type development, reniewable energies, reservoir, or a multi purpose development. Give your options, the country needs all the above, and thanet needs a lot of it, it will create far more jobs in the building of it, than the airpirt ever did or would
There have been many contaminated sites in Thanet and across the country, along with many more some the same some different with historic value, this does not mean those places cannot be built on, it only means theres a process to follow before work can begin. The council has before granted permission to build on such land once due process of examination and site exploration and cleansing has taken place, it happens all over the country and in Thanet, with other proposed development land which is contaminated, ready to be sold and built on.
If the council play difficult there are appeals which will be won by Anne Gloag which will cost TDC a lot in tax payers money, they should work with Gloag not against her.
TDC's chief executive has a responsibility to work with business and for the health of the area they are working for, not to whims of cllrs, which come and go without continuity, and damage an area with pet projects instead of looking at long term visions.
A multi development sounds good, as long as its not over developed, Doctors and Schools we need more of, liesure facilities of quality we also need, homes we need, and if theres room for a helipad, a memorial, the museums, also great. Yes it will create jobs in the building of all this for years, then continued sustainable employment after. Come on Mrs Gloag, its needed.
Work with Ann Gloag people not against her or with negativity or throwing obstacles, work with hervto create what we really need, and its not an old airfield for locals, its build, thats what gets people working and creates regeneration.
looks like Iris is already selling the local and UK tax payer down the river, to support a few Airport Supporters. When oh when will we get some politicians with more business savvy down here?
Thanets politicians including the MPs have stumbled from one thing or another for decades, were they hinge every thing on a goose hoping for a golden egg, its a disgarce, and they certainly have not a clue with regard to business. Run the council, you findvthat hard enough don't get involved.
I don't know why Gloag is even talking to politicians locally or otherwise as all they do is throw things at her all the time, follow your origional policy Ann don't speak to any of them until your ready to do whatever it is you are proposing, certainly don't trust them or show your hand, you know all this I know, but all they will do is use emotional blackmail or pressure to srll to yanks.
Gloag is not silly, she had them all figured out and will stick to her plan, good for her as this is what we need. New jobs in the development of the old airfield. And the benefits of the development after.
what benifits will new houses bring other than more DFLs on benifits that the london councils will partly pay with the tax payers of thanet making up the rest only one winner the lady that owns the largest building plot in the area enough said
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