Boris Island and the demise of the Medway

[Plomong]

Unfortunately, not mine. I remember the discussions well and the arguments for Foulness were, to my mind, compelling. The development area was unlimited and it didn't include the sunken munitions ship off the Medway.

However, I did have some strong whispers (I worked indirectly for the MoD at the time) that the gunnery range at Shoeburyness was non-negotiable. Game over.

I worked in ERA at the time and remember some mutterings about unexploded ordnance under the Maplin Sands. Seemed to be quite a lot of it. Would you like to drive several thousand piles into those sands for the main terminal building knowing that at any moment a pile could rocket skyward when the hammer fell ??

I wouldn't.

Plomong

 

[BrianH]

I worked in ERA at the time and remember some mutterings about unexploded ordnance under the Maplin Sands. Seemed to be quite a lot of it. Would you like to drive several thousand piles into those sands for the main terminal building knowing that at any moment a pile could rocket skyward when the hammer fell ??

An estuary development on either side will involve old munitions risk. The ongoing plans for the Medway will have to consider the wreck of the SS RICHARD MONTGOMERY. "The wreck lies across the tide close to the Medway Approach Channel and her masts are clearly visible above the water at all states of the tide. There are still approximately 1,400 tons of explosives contained within the forward holds." - From the MCA site.

It is quoted that there will not be a window left well down into Kent if that lot goes up.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Shutting down LHR would put in excess of 100,000 people out of work in one fell swoop. Ain't gonna happen.

No. It would shift the jobs east by a few tens of miles.

 

[Seajet]

I forget which one, but there's an ex-RAF base near the Western end of the M4 which a lot of people in UK aviation circles thought ideal as an airport.

It supported the big transports & aerial refuelers such as VC-10's, so already has long runway/s and fuel hydrants etc; as Bristol Lulsgate is pretty limited for expansion, a lot of people think it would be logical to use it.

Maybe that's the problem, too obvious !

 

[johnalison]

Me too, however as far as I can remember one of the main objections to the Maplin proposal was the very high risk of bird strikes because of the large population of seabirds in the Thames Estuary.

After watching the Hudson River crash-landing the other day I can't imagine how anyone could consider such a major wildfowl area for an airport. I have sometimes seen thousands of Brent at one time, so the idea seems utterly ridiculous.

On the other hand, I have sailed across the estuary many times on a summer day and encountered a mere handful of other craft. It would be wishful thinking to suppose that our wishes will prevail against the urban peasants who wish to have the freedom to fly wherever and whenever they please.

 

[Moonshining]

No. It would shift the jobs east by a few tens of miles.

Thousands and thousands of those people are low-paid maintenance workers and cleaners at the airport itself and also working at all the infrastructure around it, hotels, freight handlers and the like.

Those people aren't going to be able to afford to move 75 miles to Kent, and if they did, where exactly are they going to live?

In addition, there are thousands of businesses in the South and South East who have located where they are because of Heathrow's location. The economic consequences of closing it would be absolutely massive.

 

[pessimist]

New airport needed - dont get it myself.

Pre 2006 I drove 40K miles and flew 4+ times a week. One year circumnavigated the earth twice, all in the name of new business.

2006 we discovered WebEx conferncing (and nowadays GoToMeeting and others as well).

Today, ALL company meetings, internal and external are web based or Video Conference. We NEVER travel. Business has steadly grown. Costs have fallen.

100+ nights per year away from home, hotel bills, jet lag, missed meetings, waiting in receptions, time wasters ... all gone.

Today, I cycle to work.
I didnt have a car for 2 years, spent the money on the boat instead.
So, i can go sailing.

If the government spent a tenth of the cost promoting smart, green business instead of air travel, the world would be a much better place.

Careful now - that sounds suspiciously like common sense.

 

[MoodySabre]

I think that is only a consultation that is take place. No decision yet.

It's not just Kent that will be affected - the north shore will catch it too. As I overlook the estuary and the possible sites then I'm out of here if they go ahead. Blimey there is enough controversy around this area with the expansion of Southend airport and the forthcoming Easyjet flights.

Why does the UK want to be the largest flight hub - those passing through don't spend any money here.

 

[Blueboatman]

It's a get rich quick scheme, a nice little earner for the concrete n shopping mall industry, that pushes all the wrong environmental values.
Perhaps if the developers were offered planning permission only if they relocate to crappy housing at the end of the new runway, for a term of 25 years....
I see that in today's telegraph 66% of voters are in favour( moolah innit)and 4% including me say nope. All those Gordon Geckos sigh.

 

[RivalRedwing]

It's a get rich quick scheme, a nice little earner for the concrete n shopping mall industry, that pushes all the wrong environmental values.
Perhaps if the developers were offered planning permission only if they relocate to crappy housing at the end of the new runway, for a term of 25 years....
I see that in today's telegraph 66% of voters are in favour( moolah innit)and 4% including me say nope. All those Gordon Geckos sigh.

There are not many Telegraph readers east of London..

Still, I always assumed that Grain would be the site of a next generation nuke so its not all bad...

 

[tillergirl]

Why does the UK want to be the largest flight hub - those passing through don't spend any money here.

Tax, Roger, tax. The UK tax on my business class ticket to Mauritius is over £300! That's £9600 on a full business class on one plane let alone the tax on cattle class.

 

[DanTribe]

Unfortunately, not mine. I remember the discussions well and the arguments for Foulness were, to my mind, compelling. The development area was unlimited and it didn't include the sunken munitions ship off the Medway.

However, I did have some strong whispers (I worked indirectly for the MoD at the time) that the gunnery range at Shoeburyness was non-negotiable. Game over.

I think there was a huge enquiry at the time and the Roskill Commission decided that Cublington was the best site for a new airport.
The government said that was the wrong answer and that Foulness / Maplin was where it should go.
I seem to remember that the economics depended on there being a large docks development as well.
The next government then abandoned the plan as being far too expensive and would never work anyway. [They also canned the Channel Tunnel for the same reason.]
One side effect of that episode was the setting up of The Crouch Harbour Authority as a means of preventing over exploitation of the R Crouch for gravel extraction needed if the airport had gone ahead.

 

[photodog]

I cant think of a worse place to put the damn thing...

The bloody M25 is already a nitemare on the East side.. its a parking lot at the drop of a hat... and its gonna be south of the river..

Fine if you live down there... a nightmare for everyone else.

Heathrow is actually pretty easy to get to from the Midlands... or the west.

Gatwick.. another nightmare.


Here's a better idea...

Give us HS2 and we can all feck off to CDG for a flight... thereby avoiding the UK departure tax.

If the french want to turn there countryside into a concrete wasteland which will be deserted in a decade anyways as everyone realises its easier to confrence call than fly... Good luck to them.

Another solution would be to put a hi-speed dedicated rail link from stansted.. to Luton ... to Heathrow... to Gatwick...

Link that to HS2 and HS1....

Make the thing work...

Job done.

 

[Coaster]

I forget which one, but there's an ex-RAF base near the Western end of the M4 which a lot of people in UK aviation circles thought ideal as an airport...

The western end of the M4 is in Wales. Do you mean the eastern end? If so you would be next to Heathrow!

 

[Seajet]

Coaster,

I take your point. It's roughly North East of Bristol I think; wish I could remember the name, but I never got involved with that type of aircraft.

I suppose if a new airport was built there, next thing would be extra lanes for the M4; still seems a good place though.

 

[Corribee Boy]

Kemble?

 

[xyachtdave]

On the other hand, I see the Isle of Sheppey is in the running; well I've been there a couple of times, it's already about as attractive as Chernobyl so if they're going to tarmac over anywhere this is the place to do it !

Seajet, Sheppey bashing is very tired....

The quiet side of the island backs onto Whitstable, which is one of Kent's trendy seaside towns full of DFL's. (Down from London) The Hart Ferry side of the island is peaceful and Queenborough has some lovely old buildings and pubs.

I just can't see the point of building another airport to be completed just in time for the demise of cheap air travel. People live on the Hoo peninsular because it's quiet. If you bought a house near Gatwick or Heathrow you would expect a bit of aircraft noise surely.

 

[Keith 66]

Everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten that 10 short years ago there was a major consultation & subsequent public enquiry on the proposed Cliffe airport.
This new scheme is nothing more than the same project rehashed for virtually the same site.
Since then a major container terminal (Thamesport) has been built on the Medway, also the largest LNG terminal & accompanying storage tanks & power station, all on the isle of Grain.
Plus the new Thames Gateway container terminal at Shellhaven
Add in the Montgomery & oil installations up the Essex side of the river & its a really sensible place to stick an airport.
As for the Bird strike risk it was reckoned to be far too high. Environmentally Cliffe was a non starter, all such sites have to be mitigated for & there is nowhere to replace the lost habitat, In short an airport on that site would be environmental vandalism on a gigantic scale.
The previous consultation recomended Manston and or Gatwick be improved instead.
Boris Johnson & Norman foster should go & boil their heads.

 

[Wansworth]

An expert said that there could only be one HUB airport so a new airport would be the demise of Heathrow

 

[PeterR]

Coaster,

I take your point. It's roughly North East of Bristol I think; wish I could remember the name, but I never got involved with that type of aircraft.

I suppose if a new airport was built there, next thing would be extra lanes for the M4; still seems a good place though.

You are probably talking about Colerne. Try putting an airport there and you would have the Gloucester set on your back.