Inside there's lots of Facebook comment from deep thinking local builders, bakers and taxi drivers about how bad the closure of the airport will be for our septic isle. Well, if you want to fly to Thailand to get pissed and turn into a lobster, and aren't prepared to schlep the hour or so to a proper airport, I guess it is a bit of a shame.
But, y'know, I think they've got the wrong person. It's not Ann Gloag who has betrayed us poor, beknighted Thanetians. All she's done is make a tough business decision.
Surely it's the endless procession of local councillors, MPs, hacks and other duffers who have all lined up over the years to pay lip service to the idea of a thriving, international airport on their doorstep, without even stopping to think or find out whether it was ever going to be a goer, who have betrayed us?
Sad to say, it was never going to be a goer. So isn't it about time to finally stop attempting to breath life into this dead dog? It's been dead for 15 years now. It's practically rotted away.
81 comments:
You should see her starkers....
At 71?? Are you just interested in her 650 odd million fortune?
“For Manston to be viable it needs to be open 24 hours. It has the potential but needs regular business, to be operational for 24 hours, to attract freight traffic from the Far East and sneak under the curtain of the busy London terminal control zone. Take that out of Manston and the attraction is limited.”
Which UK airports allow night flights throughout the night?
I think that photo has been through the de-wrinkle filter on Instamatic a few times, Cheggers. Don't get too excited!
Much like the port, the airport is dead. The world has changed. Its time to let these things go. The trouble is, if you had always believed that the airport could be the best site in the UK then it is difficult to let go
I think the airport is one of the best sites in the uk........for housing
Quite a babe huh? Lol yes here's the un-photoshoped Ann Gloag - http://i1.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article899707.ece/ALTERNATES/s2197/greatest-scot-ann-gloag-100-57944372-899707.jpg
Try searching for images of ann gloag and you can see where theIOTG got the picture from! With regard to Manston....Its called 'Asset Striping'
We have been betrayed by our councilors and civil servants over the pollution and missing fines and now the loss of jobs anyway.
The nerve of Gale and Sandys and Moores and Clive and Bob to prattle away - even calling Buchanan's managment of the airport excellent.
The Police need to make arrests.
Re night flights. please refer to http://www.heathrowairport.com/static/Heathrow_Noise/Downloads/PDF/Nightflights11.pdf
Heathrow can fly 24/7, it's just the noisier aircraft that are not allowed between certain night time hours.
The A380 Airbus, recently at Manston, and the largest passenger aircraft in the world, is incredibly quiet.
I agree 100% with your analysis, ER. The myth that Manston could be a thriving hub airport serving and employing thousands is just that: a myth. It was built as a military airfield and served its purpose many years ago. What happens to it now is anyone's guess; that runway is not just a strip of tarmac, it's concrete! And who knows what lies underground!!
Mr E I totally agree with you. After the airport was sold for £1 and after the Airport Commission ruled Manston out of its capacity expansion plan, everyone in the industry new it was a dead duck with no future. So what did Thanet Council do/ Well in November 2013 our Leader Cllr Hart triumphantly launched TDCs Economic Growth and Regeneration Strategy which claimed, despite evidence to the contrary that “Manston Airport provides a major growth opportunity for Thanet (with) the potential to develop significant airport-related activities (and) develop our competitive position”
What I don't understand is why the previous owners did not ask for an undertaking that the buyer would keep the airport running for at least 2 years bearing in mind the give away price. But buyers weren't exactly queuing up.
As to a future use why not put solar panels all over the runway?
And if in the future Manston could be viable again at least the runway will be there.
You never know very quiet plane or even airships may be the norm in 10 years time.
Peter, do not expect a proper reply. Driver is only good at making hollow statements on any passing bandwagon.
Yes, a flying school, or balloon trips - good constructive ideas.
Drag racing strip or the longest skate run in the uk.
Prime glamping and eco-tech location?
Less criticism and more constructive ideas please.
Though if it's riddled with WWII armory detritus it's gonna have a limited use.
Drag racing should prove popular with the proposed Ramsgate Gay Village!
Since a survey in the 70s the only viability recognised of harbour with Manston is basically what later became Boris offshore island idea. The original idea was Oil refinery and harbour to take tankers.
Manston will probably become housing. Thanet's regeneration hopes over the decades have sounded like a cracked record.
Ann Gloag has brought an overdue dose of reality into Thanet.
All we need now is Checkers to take her piccies.
She might look even better than she does on the cover of the gazette. Peter thinks focus is something that Ford makes.
Eastcliff Richard before slagging off the airport, how many businesses in Thanet rely on the Airport and might relocate to another area with an airport.
If you want Thanet to Boom we need the airport, if you want Thanet to root like some bananas get rid of the airport.
Compared to the loss of jobs at Sandwich the loss jobs at the airport is measured in hundreds rather than thousands even if you include all the dependent businesses.
Many towns in the south east are thriving and don't have airports so I am sure Thanet can do well by concentrating on tourism.
Perhaps Ann Gloag will invest in tourism ?
Yes, some positive ideas for the future would be good here.
As for the theory about the airport being littered with unexploded WWII ordnance and therefore being 'undevelopable', why the feck were they landing planes there if that was the case?!?!??!!!!
Where is the space shuttle going to land if it finds itself in Kent? We should be told.
Or Concorde?? Ha!
Meanwhile Biggles has told the Gazette that the blame for the closure lies firmly with the No Night Flights campaign.
Anyone fancy clubbing together and paying for him to tug a banner over Manston the day it closes? And what should it say?
And Paul Carter and Roger Guff are saying the Manston Parkway station will go ahead regardless of whether the airport closes. Idiots.
Another nail in the coffin that is Thanet applauded by those who claim to have the area's best interests at heart. See the whinger in chief and she who opposes every initiative, Louise O, has jumped on this wake. No doubt she will now have me tracked down by the fearsome PCC.
I think being surrounded by sea and deprived people, with strong competition just up the road closed the airport, rather than any campaigns.
All of those moaning about its closure should be asked how often they used it. Whatever their answer, it should have been more.
Simon Moores has only his own self interest at heart as he will now have to travel to airports further away.
Somewhat contradictory 6.22 for who could have used the airport more than Simon Moores, contributing more than any passenger by operating his aircraft out of there. Furthermore, it is not just about the frequency of use by individuals, but the possible alternatives. The last thing I want is yet more housing sprawl on the green belt at the back of Thanet attracting more people to fight for the non jobs.
The biggest opponent of Manston for years has been he, oft referred to as the aquifer man, and by far the biggest idiot in Thanet. His opposition alone should tell us something for if idiots don't want an airport, perhaps wise men should!
There should be a major public consultation exercise to develop ideas about how the site can be used. My personal preference would be for some type of leisure facility which would attract visitors. There is also scope for industrial use and I kinda like the idea of the solar panels suggested earlier. I am opposed to housing. There is already a lot of housing planned in the immediate area of the airport. I also understand that there are lot of underground tunnels constructed by the military - does anyone know about this? The important thing is trying to use the site to create jobs
wot abaht a cannabis village ian?
Sadly sometime early April the gates will be locked, the last plane capable of getting out under its own steam will have left and that will be that. Apart from some security and a man to collect the rents that will be it. The sound of silence.
Ian, there are already acres of unused industrial site space in Thanet so not sure what industries might prefer the new land on the airport to that already available.
Leisure would be great, but how much money is there in another Alton Towers or Disneyland and that will be the deciding factor.
Agree with you about housing, there being an excess of new homes planned already with insufficient jobs to support the existing population.
When you look at it good and hard, the best use was always a successful regional airport so it is a shame that never happened.
jobs not minuim wage jobs like most employers round thanet pay skilled or semi skilled with training
Looks like we could do with some new and better schools 7:16!
Personally I'm on tenterhooks to see Clive's emergency motion. Hope for his sake it's a big 'un.
I'm sure the words "night", "flights" and "parkway" will be mentioned.
The closure comes at an opportune time for TDC as they are in the stages of creating a Local plan for the next 15 years.
To quote from the TDC web site
"The plan will set out how and where homes, jobs, community facilities, shops and infrastructure will be delivered and the type of places and environments we want to create. It will also identify land to be protected from development, such as open space.
The new Local Plan will cover the district right up to 2031.
This will replace the Saved Policies from the 2006 Local Plan."
So if Manston was designated as an airport in the previous plan it could now be assigned for housing and then TDC would find it impossible to stop any determined developer.
There is a public consultation taking place later this year so have your say.
2:26 - there were others in the list to buy the place, but let's face it the deal was already done and the golden handshakes secured when she signed the paperwork, you would have the seriously doubt your bean counters when you realise that after 3 months it ain't gonna work, they would of seen that before she committed. Chuck and the 2 Als have set themselves up nicely.
Close it, cut the grass for a while, build some lovely roundabouts with roads that lead to empty fields and it will fit in with the rest of Thanet beautifully.
Perhaps this her way of recouping some of the cash her and her bro were ripped off with by Beano.
My idea is an F1 circuit leading down to Ramsgate for the street circuit part, rich and famous in the harbour, hotels full, bars over flowing.........bugger me what a good idea!!!!!!!!...... No scrap that one......as the airshow demonstrated complete grid lock on the roads.
6.28pm, you make a rather stupid statement. If you are suggesting that manston being used for mor housing "on the green belt", manston is a brownfield site and has been earmarked for development since sold by the MOD.
Those who think Gloag have bought manston to turn it into cabbages ( and although that would make it more profitable than it ever has been as an airport), dream on. This lady has bigger balls than that, and TDC and KCC will fall in line.
Whichever way the wind blows, Gale will follow. £50 already lodged at Corals that he will publicly positively endorse the closure of the airport by the end of 2014.
I only got evens, by the way.
ECR, why don't you do a post detailing all of the things they (councils, airport, MP's, deranged airport supporters) say, against the cold hard reality of the situation?
Such as;
They say - longest/one of the longest/ 4th longest runway in the country
Reality - it's the 14th longest runway in the UK
They say - it will create thousands of jobs
Reality - they've been saying that for 20 years and have created 144.
They say - it's strategically important in the south east runway debate
Reality - the governments review of airports capacity has ignored it
They say - the space shuttle could land there
Reality - no it couldn't.
They say - with a bit of investment you could get the high speed line under and hour to london, and make manston a London airport
Reality, yes, if you shut all the level crossings in canterbury, or drove new line through said world heritage site
They say - London is in the catchment area for manston
Reality - yes, and so are nearer, better served airports heathrow, gatwick, city, stansted, Luton and Southend.
They say - only night flights can save it
Reality - manston has had the ability to fly planes in our out 24hrs a day thanks to the utterly toothless s106 agreed by our supine council a generation ago but has not managed to ever turn a profit. Only customers would save it
They say - it's in a perfect location at the end of Kent, planes fly straight out to sea
Reality - ramsgate lives at the end of th runway, and it's immediate catchment area comprises of fish or deprived people who cannot afford a dentist, let alone a holiday to magaluf.
And on, and on.
Why don't you do it 7:58?
Pro-Manston: Over 7000 signatures in 3 days!
Anti-Manston: A local restaurant owner on medication, a blogger who hides behind anonymity, and a former blogger and campainger who can't reveal his identity anymore because his bosses don't approve!
7:58 sums it up perfectly, especially with regard to the myth of night flight restrictions. The S106 has always allowed them, it has been the airport that has imposed the restrictions. Ann Gloag is a successful millionaire and has seen and seized a business opportunity. As someone else said, a dose of realism.
I put no store in the 38degrees petition. There is no way of knowing who is signing it so for all we know people on the other side of the planet are asking for a loss-making airport to be kept open.
Maybe the real answer is to ask Ms Gloag to take charge of local regeneration. After all, the present collection of sad has-beens, aerial entrepreneurs with inflated ideas of their own importance and amateur politifians have failed dismally. Treat Thanet like a business and put a proper businessman in charge.
9:25, You forgot Tim Clark and that fat bloke in Herne Bay!
Tim, everyone who signs the petition have to give a name, and anyway there are several other pro-Manston campaigns on twitter and facebook. Not all of us are losers like you.
Yesterday a 9 year old boy went missing in Margate, and the only reason he was found quickly is because the search and rescue helicoptor refueled in Manston.
Anon 9.43 so you want the Air rescue service to pick up the annual £5 millions short fall at Manston so it can refuel there when there are other places for refueling within 10 mins flying of Margate.
The petition is aimed at Roger Gale and Laura Sandys who have already come out in favour of the airport so what's the point? Furthermore Gale is regarded as a joke at Westminster, nobody listened to his ill-informed drivel when the South East capacity review was ongoing, and Sandys is a busted flush, she's going in just over a year. Even if a million people signed the petition it wouldn't make a jot of difference.
As for rescue helicopters, surely the point is they take off and land vertically, they don't need a runway, not even one that's the 14th longest in the UK.
A million people WOULD make a difference, as these are voters (or potential voters)! So MPs and even the government will listen to public opinion, even if that includes expansion, a train station and night flights. Keep signing everyone!
The same people who made so much of a couple of thousand signatures against night flights now dismiss a much greater number of signatures in support of the airport as irrelevant. Even Tim Clark, who I often feel writes some sense, dismisses this because it does not suit his argument.
The other Tim, makes light of the influence of Roger Gale and Laura Sandys, totally ignoring the fact that there is a general election in 2015 and the Thanet seats are targets on the must win list for the big two.
I do not know what the outcome of this Manston saga will be, but would suggest that neither do any of you airport antagonists. It could still go either way and will be decided by political interests.
Did you know that even MOD have been asked to consider the possibility of reactivation of the base. Could still be some surprises yet.
Dream on.
Excellent news 11:12.
11:24, over the last 15 years plus I have heard people forecasting doom for Manston. It started when the RAF announced they were leaving and has continued with each piece of adverse news since. People, probably like you, have been saying Manston will close in weeks for 15 years now yet it is still there.
Surely this must suggest that there is some major influence behind the scenes keeping it going when all the commercial indicators are that it should have closed. That is not dreams but fact.
11:34 Manston is hardly there if it has closed again. In 10 years we've seen that every few years it goes bust. And the councils and operators have completely ignored the safety guidelines and fines which should protect the public.
Apart from your wishful thinking and sentiment Manston is deader than dead can be.
It's now a field with scrap aircraft and portakbins on it polluting the aquifer. How will it be cleaned up after April? Look at the Hoverport or Dreamland or Pleasurama all derelict too.
Manston is over and we need a police inquiry into the fines and pollution and cancer.
Haven't you got a restaurant to run?
I doubt that Labour view Thanet North as a winnable seat, Anon 11.12. Even with the boundary changes, it is a relatively safe Tory seat. The only threat to Gale will come from a UKIP challenge, which could split his vote and make him vulnerable.
Of course perhaps by "the big two" you mean the Tories and UKIP?
1112, thank you for your kind words. My only caveat about the pro-petition is the provenance of the signatures. Skewed though it may have been the previous consultation did try and limit itself to those affected, and made an attempt to ensure that it reached its desired targets. I'd also remind you how well the pro-petition, run at the same time, did . Maybe the latest version would have more credibility if those signing had a clear link to the airport.
Notwithstanding all this, I think we have come to a point where a business brain needs to take over and find a proper, job-creating role for this site. Some fairly big names in the aviation world have had a go and have got nowhere. Private enterprise cannot continue to throw money away and I don't think even Comrade Clive is thinking of getting TDC involved in a bailout. The Head Boy is also strangely quiet, which leads me to think that Labour either have something to hide or have no ideas. Neither would surprise me.
And before being accused of political bias I would also point out the paradox of Cllr Biggles endlessly preaching to us all about financial good practice (ie Tory financial good practice) and the market when he's talking about the national economy, but seems to support a dying (if not already dead) enterprise locally. Not very Thatcherite Cllr.
As I said before, the whole future of the Island needs to be run by someone who not only knows what they are doing, but has a personal track record to back it up.
Define "clear link to the airport". Presumably all those in favour would like to fly from an airport that offered more destinations besides Amsterdam, so isn't that enough of a link... and more so than those who simply hate it and don't want anything to do with it?
As for the "strangely quite" ones, surely the person who appeared on TV and in the press campaigning against the airport (ie Steve Higgins) is the most conspicuous by his silence?
I've just been to the 38degrees petition and there's nothing there to validate the signature. You are asked your name and email address, which could place you anywhere in the world, and your postcode, which rejects your input if it's not a UK postcode. Hence Barack Obama has just signed, giving his postcode as a government department in Southampton.
Tim, this obviously proves that even US presidents support the airport!
Peter, no, I don't think they can.
Peter. An interesting question is exactly how would Ann Gloag get change of use planning? Even if she shut the airport down it continues to fail to make her any money if it does not have planning permission.
And no, Barack Obama's vote won't count. I gave a ficticious email address so the return email for validation is floating around in the ether.
Peter. I'm guessing your question was directed at me. Since I'm not Kim Gibson, nor indeed anyone else on the Planning Committee, I'm afraid I can't answer your question.
My previous response poses a dilemma for that Committee; the only solution may be a radical change to the Local Plan, which I understand is up for review.
As I've suggested before, it's easy to close the airport, the real conjuring trick is to put it to profitable use afterwards.
Anonymous 5:34. Presumably Barack Obama, apparently living in Southampton, doesn't have a "clear link"
Tim Garbutt supports the closure of Manston Airport which in itself should speak volumes. Despite his worldwide Serenity business interests, he can see no mileage in having an airport on his doorstep so, if an international entrepreneur like Tim says the airport has no future, then who are we mere mortals to argue. On the other hand, some of you anti-airport folk might like to consider who you are in the same team with!
Have you not tried the Manston - Amsterdam - Hanoi route yet Tim?
Allan
You make the common mistake of equating anti-airport with anti-night flights.
I'm not sure I understand the Hanoi reference either but in case there's any doubt, I shall be inconvenienced at the very least by this since I have used the KLM link in the past and plan to use it again next month. If the airport closes KLM have agreed to put alternatives in place but they will not be as convenient as MSE. However I'm sure that not living locally, you are not placed to offer a constructive opinion.
Re the consultation about night flights. This was pulled by the Labour administration because it was too expensive but not until those under the flight path had had their say. Somewhat akin to asking if turkeys vote for Christmas. At least I have a chance to put my name to a petition this time, and yes I do live where aircraft noise is a consideration. But I am still for keeping Manston as a working airfield. Doubtless if houses are built the fire school will have to close because of all the black smoke.
Tim Clark, I think Allan is referring to Tim Garbutt's claims to have business interests throughout South East Asia. Furthermore, since Allan lived in Broadstairs until a short time ago and now has moved Fordwich way, he surely has a right to a say on a regional airport.
Tim Garbutt has opposed the airport, not just night flights, for years claiming pollution, cancer, illegal over town flights and corruption by every owner.
People all over East Kent are entitled to their right of say over Manston. After all, these are the (potential) users, not just those in Thanet.
12.56, I think you will find one persons opinion matters, and that's Ann Gloag.
See the airports press release Wednesday for a clue on whether she would sign the petition or not.
I find it interesting that thousands of people didn't sign a petition when BHS at Westwood Cross closed a few months ago. There must have been at least half the number of people employed there as there are at Manston. Perhaps people accepted that as a necessary business decision, which is precisely what Ann Gloag has made. I can only conclude that the save Manston campaign is driven by whimsy, nostalgia and selfishness rather than any grasp of economic or commercial reality.
4:41. Spot on, as indeed was the previous contributor.
Ann Gloag owns Manston and can cease to operate the airport there if she chooses. What she cannot do is anything else with the site without appropriate consents so the politicians still hold the trump card.
Politicians are also driven by votes and, if the save Manston folk make enough noise and get enough signatures, watch them block every move the good lady makes towards change of use.
The battle is far from over.
Unfortunately Ann Gloag has access to hundreds of millions of pounds. Although it's true that she's lost some small scale planning battles in Scotland, she was mostly defeated because of conservation concerns, none of which would apply to Manston. It would be a very foolish councillor who committed our council tax to battling her in the courts, it would inevitably go the same way as Arlington Tesco. Not that there aren't foolish councillors at TDC, but if I were a betting man my money would be on Gloag.
Whilst I'm betting, I'd say it's odds on that the same hypocrites who supported Tesco are the ones who are now 'battling' Gloag, although it'll be about as much like a battle as the Ukraine if you ask me.
Good to see the Mallinson-Epps doublehander emerging again and still obsessed with Tim.
Tim has opposed the Manston and Infratil and TDC and KCC and the removal of the monitors. As have many other people.
His views are detailed on his blog lovekentlovermsgate.blogspot.com and Twitter @timg33
Clearly he's been proven right on most if not all the points he's raised.
While these two Tory activists have been proven wrong on everything they've said on Manston and Thor. To the point of idiocy and now childish insults.
Perhaps they should pay closer attention to what Tim says.
Good riddance to them and good riddance to Manston and Infratil and Gloag. Let's hope resignations at TDC and KCC follow and a Police inquiry.
An airport is one thing - but not by removing the monitors and safety standards.
The Gazette is right we have been betrayed by Gloag, Infratil and our councillors and civil servants.
Well said, Tim, but do keep up the medication.
Another numpty closes down a debate with more random insults. Why shouldn't we discuss Police involvement with Manston now? At the very least Gloag and Infratil would pay the fines.
7:50, there is only one numpty round here and we all know who he is. The old police, arrests, corruption, pollution, time for change fruitcake.
What safety standards were removed??????
Wie of wat u ook wilt (laten) vervoeren: personen, documenten of pakketten, Wie of wat u ook wilt (laten) vervoeren: personen, documenten of pakketten, bij Marcus bent u altijd aan het goede adres. Onze gestage groei danken wij aan een hoge mate van klanttevredenheid. Wie die eenmaal heeft ervaren, wil niet meer anders!
www.marcus.nlbij Marcus bent u altijd aan het goede adres. Onze gestage groei danken wij aan een hoge mate van klanttevredenheid. Wie die eenmaal heeft ervaren, wil niet meer anders!
www.marcus.nl
Post a Comment