Paul Marsh Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Just looked when th next RR Hucknall event is on and all the events, from the Electric the Jet and scale to the all models weekends have been cancelled. Does anyone know why? Is it something to do with the Xmas fly in repercussions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Fairgrieve Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 The site has been sold for housing development. Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 So that's it for Hucknall. More houses and less flying space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Berry Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 The site was sold some time ago but the time had unfortunately come and as with most airfields they're sold off for housing. Great shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 I saw their news page. Hope they find somewhere to fly, or maybe buy land for future flying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hardaker Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 The Merlin Flying Club / Group have moved to a new home at Tatenhill airfield. I wish them well at their new home, but it will be a poor second best. Hucknall was a very pleasant (and historic) airfield and the lads were always pleased to see visiting aircraft. Dropping in there was a pleasure. It's a unforgiveable to have lost the airfield, only to become "little boxes". David H Edited By David Hardaker on 14/05/2015 19:46:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 That's a pity.RR (Hucknall) was my first club as I was a RR employee at the time. When I retired I joined the club at Asbourne because access was easier during the week and it was a similar distance to travel but I stayed a member at Hucknall for a while. I even used to help at their scale weekend so I remained friendly with the membership. Sadly it also looks as if my current club may go the same way for the same reason. It seems that airfields are classed as brownfield and thus a target for housing development. JCB, who used part of 'our' airfield for training and demonstration etc have already moved elsewhere. Unfortunately there is amassive shortage of housing which has contributed in no small way to the ridiculous prices they now fetch. Whichever way you look at it, somewhere to live is more important than somewhere to fly model aircraft though it would be good if both could be satisfied. And, of course, the owners of old airfields will make huge amounts of money from the sale. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 And possibly because the European Union says we must have more yet more immigrants! Don't get me started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 wisley airfield in surrey is earmarked for 2000 new homes, a new town in fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 My 4 kids all bought their own houses so i'm probably to blame, your kids still at home then.....must get crowded at times. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 Many towns and cities have loads of deralict factories, such as where I live, but instead of building there, they are building new houses on prime countryside land and the town centers are becoming dead. There is a land which used to be a factory - empty and a 7 story mill which has been empty for 20 years - an eyesore and they say the town needs flats urgently - how about the 50 flats this could make.. Mad. Edited By Paul Marsh on 14/05/2015 20:46:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Posted by Paul Marsh on 14/05/2015 20:45:06: Many towns and cities have loads of deralict factories, such as where I live, but instead of building there, they are building new houses on prime countryside land and the town centers are becoming dead. There is a land which used to be a factory - empty and a 7 story mill which has been empty for 20 years - an eyesore and they say the town needs flats urgently - how about the 50 flats this could make.. Mad. Edited By Paul Marsh on 14/05/2015 20:46:06 Yes, but it's not as profitable for the developers (or local council) and people don't want to live there anyway. That's part of the problem facing the BMFA centre. Anywhere capable of being developed for model flying purposes is being chased by house builders (who have deeper pockets). Also it will have to be so remote that nobody is likely to develop around it, otherwise there is a potential for problems at a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingKade Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Posted by Paul Marsh on 14/05/2015 20:45:06: Many towns and cities have loads of deralict factories, such as where I live, but instead of building there, they are building new houses on prime countryside land and the town centers are becoming dead. There is a land which used to be a factory - empty and a 7 story mill which has been empty for 20 years - an eyesore and they say the town needs flats urgently - how about the 50 flats this could make.. Mad. Edited By Paul Marsh on 14/05/2015 20:46:06 Sometimes this is down to the local authroties beliving, hoping that industry will come back to an area. Or not wanting to lose their industrially heritage or zones. The area may be in a designated zone for industry use or the like and they wont allow housing. Can be down to demolition expense? In london you can demolish and build not a problem, but out in the sticks or up north where values are not compariable, large sites with massive concrete structures will repel developers...also expensive decontamination procedures prior to any construction processes... Can be down to how potential purchasers , developers perceive the newly built homes, they may perfer to buy , construct a house that was built on a field as opposed to other brown field sites, land fill, industry... Etc... Im not defending the loss of airstrips, historic or active! My 1st club lost out to a farmer who aquired the airstrip next to him... Was the best flying site i flew off...still drive past it, still could fly off it, but he doesnt allow it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concorde Speedbird Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Fantastic, another historic airfield sold for housing. I'm one of the younger generation who at some point will be looking for a house but seeing this airfield and Filton etc being sold for housing angers me. Do we want this country to become one big housing estate? CS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 One of my outstanding memories is attending a flying display at Hucknall in 1966 when two outstanding things happened. 1. I saw Jeffrey Quill fly a Spitfire for the last time. It was the Mk V, AB910, then owned by Rolls-Royce before they presented it to the Battle of Britain Flight. 2. For the first time, I saw a Lightning flown in fast at low level and then pulled up into a vertical, full afterburner climb. It was a mind-blowing experience and when I first understood why the Yanks called it the "Loominus Toob". Rolls Royce has very little home market for its' products, now that we hardly make planes any more. Although it still employs 55,000 in the UK it employs far more world-wide, reflecting where its' markets truly are. It doesn't need places like Hucknall any more and we are the worse off for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuphedd Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 We have enjoyed flying on an airfield since 1964, I guess way back then it was owned by Bristol Siddeley. Then we joined RR and we became RRAnsty MAC. Apparently the airfield was the only "land " that RR owned , the other factories being rented/leased . So a few years ago The land that was not being used , like the grass and the old runway were sold off, and huge factories built adjacent to our flying field , they had a whole air field to choose from !!!!!!!!! but it reduced our flying site drastically , so much so a majority of the membership left , only 8 of us remain and we only fly small stuff. But soon when all the trees they have planted to hide the new buildings grow up the site will only be fit for helis and drones . Still, no one will ever find us The sport has little or no recognition outside its devotees cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 We'll eventually be reduced to flying off streets, common land and car parks as can be seen on many videos from other parts of the world. Great prospect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Just wait until more farmers take the chance for more easy money making from plastering solar panels everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Posted by Bill_B on 14/05/2015 20:01:05: And possibly because the European Union says we must have more yet more immigrants! Don't get me started! Whether immigration or births within the existing population, the 'Elephant in the room' is Britain's increasing population that our politicians appear to be quite blatantly ignoring. "Oh just build more houses" we hear the cry, " "we'll even help you get into debt to start you off." Sheer madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 If you removed all the so-called asylum seekers and illegal immigrants (if we actually knew where they were hiding) over the last 20 years we'd have ample room for our own multi cultural population for many years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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