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Sheffield Airport - sign the Petion to stop the redevelopment of the site

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You're wrong. There's no need to 'prove it' because you're just wrong.

 

But I love the idea of a Gulfstream being "your average business jet" :hihi:

 

Oh come on that's not fair, he's asked for answers, give him and us proof. Please

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:)

 

The point here is that GA has little to do with holiday charters. Short hops are the norm in the UK and they are rarely long enough to justify a jet when pistons or turboprops do the job very nicely.

 

Sheffield was a thriving GA field with constant movements throughout the day even after the airline operators left because Peel turned off the ILS in contravention (IIUI) to their contract. No ILS, no low-vis flying. No low-vis flying, no airlines. No airlines, no problem in pretending that the airport is losing money, and BINGO you get your land for a quid.

 

GA fields bring business and money to cities without ever needing to service anyone's two week's in Torremolinos. Business, private flying and training is more than enough to justify it reopening.

 

Business people just come and go without anyone noticing, and THAT is why we need our airport in Sheffield.

Edited by Tony

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There are plenty of smaller business jets that could land on a 4000ft runway.

 

But if your wanting a true business / city airport, I think you need an airport that can accept a wide range of business jets. Everything from a Citation Mustang to a Citation X and Gulfstream IV and everything else in between.

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You sound like a plane spotter spends Sunday afternoons ticking at Doncaster and can't bear the thought of a rival to the crumbling ivory tower. Try asking pilots, owners or business users who go places instead.

 

(oh look, you are!!! :) )

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Interesting developments at Manchester City Airport:

 

Plans for a £650m business park at Manchester Airport have been submitted

Developers MAG said Airport City Manchester will include office space, hotels and manufacturing centres and will create 11,400 jobs.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-20677417

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Just wondering what there is left of the old terminal? If let's say Richard Branson decided next week that he wants to start a flight service between Sheffield and Heathrow, could he use the airport buildings that were used previously (check in facilities etc) or has it been dismantled?

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Current runway length at Sheffield is 4000ft give or take a few ft. The runway would need to be extended at least another 1500ft if any sort of business charter service was to take place at a reopened airport. Your average Gulfstream / Learjet business jet aircraft needs 5000ft + of runway to take off. Businessmen are not going to want to fly from Sheffield to mainland Europe in 3 / 4 seater Cessnas flying at 150mph. They will want business jets like Gulfstreams that fly as fast as regular commercial aircraft do and I'm not sure there is enough room to extend the runway by that amount.

 

Klm were flying 50 seat Fokker turbo prop aircraft from Sheffield airport.

Which is slightly larger than 3/4 seater Cessna

 

Have a look on you tube for video for video of KLM aircraft preparing for take off from Sheffield Airport

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Interesting development...

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/mystery-bidder-wants-to-reopen-sheffield-airport-1-5213488

 

Mystery bidder wants to reopen Sheffield airport

 

Published on Tuesday 11 December 2012 09:28

 

A MYSTERY bidder has come forward to buy Sheffield’s mothballed airport.

 

The as-yet unnamed would-be buyer has contacted the Federation of Small Businesses - who say he ‘is no stranger to the aviation industry’ and has ‘many business interests’ in the city and across the UK.

 

Details of his bid and his finances have been passed to Sheffield Council.

 

Neville Martin, development manager for the FSB in South Yorkshire, said: “We have checked his credentials and are satisfied this is a serious bid, and should be taken seriously.

 

“This is an incredibly important development. Somebody is prepared to put his money where his mouth is and re-open the airport.”

 

Campaigners say plans to turn the former airport site into a business park should now be put on hold until an independent public inquiry is held to look into the future of commercial aviation in the region.

 

The man has told the FSB he wants to buy the 80 acre site from its owners, Peel Holdings and a consortium of private investors, and reopen it to flights.

 

He claims he could operate scheduled services to UK and European cities, and proposes to offer flight training, air taxi, and business charter services.

 

He would also open a restaurant and other leisure facilities in a redeveloped airport terminal.

 

Owners of the site - bought from Sheffield Council for just £1 - have planning permission to develop a business park there.

 

Gordon Millward, regional chairman of the FSB, said: “Throughout our campaign to save the airport from redevelopment, there has been a myth put about that the former airport was closed because it was not commercially viable.

 

“We have vigorously refuted that view, and our stance has been vindicated by the entry of a serious bidder into the frame.

 

“It is our considered opinion that a regional airport will be of infinitely greater value than yet another business park to the future development of the city region.”

 

He added: “There is business property everywhere standing vacant, and acres of land all around the region to build more if we need it.

 

“What the region needs more than anything else at this time is an urban airport to bring in businesses and investment to drive the regeneration.

 

“This development would complement the continued operation of Robin Hood Airport at Doncaster, as the two address totally different markets.

 

“Manchester has two airports and the South Lancashire region has four. We need to be able to compete with other regions or we’ll be left even further behind in attracting new businesses to this region.

 

“I have written to Sheffield Council to recommend it pursues the matter with urgency.”

 

Coun Leigh Bramall, cabinet member for business, said: “Sheffield Council is not in a position to determine the future of the former Sheffield Airport site. It belongs to Sheffield Business Park and the check-in building was converted to offices years ago. The council has no grounds whatsoever, or indeed enforceable powers, to attempt to seek to inhibit or delay the redevelopment of the site.

 

“It is also important to note that the former airport land is now within an Enterprise Zone and has the potential to create up to 3,000 new jobs in the city.

 

“To return the site to a functioning and commercially viable airport would require a huge investment of tens of millions.

 

“Any private sector investment proposal would need to approach the landowners about this first, not the council. The council’s involvement would only be that of planning authority should revised plans for the site be submitted.”

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Interesting development...

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/mystery-bidder-wants-to-reopen-sheffield-airport-1-5213488

 

Mystery bidder wants to reopen Sheffield airport

 

Published on Tuesday 11 December 2012 09:28

 

A MYSTERY bidder has come forward to buy Sheffield’s mothballed airport.

 

The as-yet unnamed would-be buyer has contacted the Federation of Small Businesses - who say he ‘is no stranger to the aviation industry’ and has ‘many business interests’ in the city and across the UK.

 

Details of his bid and his finances have been passed to Sheffield Council.

 

Neville Martin, development manager for the FSB in South Yorkshire, said: “We have checked his credentials and are satisfied this is a serious bid, and should be taken seriously.

 

“This is an incredibly important development. Somebody is prepared to put his money where his mouth is and re-open the airport.”

 

Campaigners say plans to turn the former airport site into a business park should now be put on hold until an independent public inquiry is held to look into the future of commercial aviation in the region.

 

The man has told the FSB he wants to buy the 80 acre site from its owners, Peel Holdings and a consortium of private investors, and reopen it to flights.

 

He claims he could operate scheduled services to UK and European cities, and proposes to offer flight training, air taxi, and business charter services.

 

He would also open a restaurant and other leisure facilities in a redeveloped airport terminal.

 

Owners of the site - bought from Sheffield Council for just £1 - have planning permission to develop a business park there.

 

Gordon Millward, regional chairman of the FSB, said: “Throughout our campaign to save the airport from redevelopment, there has been a myth put about that the former airport was closed because it was not commercially viable.

 

“We have vigorously refuted that view, and our stance has been vindicated by the entry of a serious bidder into the frame.

 

“It is our considered opinion that a regional airport will be of infinitely greater value than yet another business park to the future development of the city region.”

 

He added: “There is business property everywhere standing vacant, and acres of land all around the region to build more if we need it.

 

“What the region needs more than anything else at this time is an urban airport to bring in businesses and investment to drive the regeneration.

 

“This development would complement the continued operation of Robin Hood Airport at Doncaster, as the two address totally different markets.

 

“Manchester has two airports and the South Lancashire region has four. We need to be able to compete with other regions or we’ll be left even further behind in attracting new businesses to this region.

 

“I have written to Sheffield Council to recommend it pursues the matter with urgency.”

 

Coun Leigh Bramall, cabinet member for business, said: “Sheffield Council is not in a position to determine the future of the former Sheffield Airport site. It belongs to Sheffield Business Park and the check-in building was converted to offices years ago. The council has no grounds whatsoever, or indeed enforceable powers, to attempt to seek to inhibit or delay the redevelopment of the site.

 

“It is also important to note that the former airport land is now within an Enterprise Zone and has the potential to create up to 3,000 new jobs in the city.

 

“To return the site to a functioning and commercially viable airport would require a huge investment of tens of millions.

 

“Any private sector investment proposal would need to approach the landowners about this first, not the council. The council’s involvement would only be that of planning authority should revised plans for the site be submitted.”

 

Well looking at the last few paragraphs, I'd say it's finished. It is no more. It has ceased to be. It is an ex airport.

 

Still, at least they can whack up some overpriced offices and industrial units (all with inadequate parking)

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Well looking at the last few paragraphs, I'd say it's finished. It is no more. It has ceased to be. It is an ex airport.

 

Still, at least they can whack up some overpriced offices and industrial units (all with inadequate parking)

 

The tower radar and runway are all still there, and converting the terminal back wouldn't cost "10's of millions" like the councilor claimed.

 

The biggest stumbling block seemingly would be the council aren't going to want the developers making a nice profit for doing nothing but selling on the land the council gave them for a £1.

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Well looking at the last few paragraphs, I'd say it's finished. It is no more. It has ceased to be. It is an ex airport.

 

Still, at least they can whack up some overpriced offices and industrial units (all with inadequate parking)

 

This is Sheffield Council we're talking about here. One council official parroting the official line does not an ex airport make.:D

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I worked at the crappy business park. It's still mostly empty so why they want to build more units on it is beyond me. Bring back the airport and make the runway slightly longer.

 

:)

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