Post by rj on Jun 21, 2016 19:26:39 GMT
Interesting report from Yateley Town council from May www.yateley-tc.gov.uk/Document/Default.aspx?DocumentUid=F1B87FE6-0D57-46DE-BEF2-6F9A88DD6C3B
'Blackbushe Airport Consultation
Meeting
Held at Hart DC, Fleet on 21 April 2016
Cllrs Tony Spencer and Gerry Crisp attended
Cllrs Adrian Collett and David Simpson represented the County
Chairman of the meeting Mick Lambert, airport manager
Cameron Ogden, Blink MD
Emma Whittaker, Hart Planning, took notes
Various parish councillors representing Hartley Wintney and Blackwater & Hawley
Others present from Terence O’Rourke, planning consultants who put the document together, and Blink.
Cameron Ogden passed around the prepared document and said that Blackbushe Airport had suffered from no
investment over the years since BCA bought it. The airfield wasn’t part of BCA’s core business, so they took little
interest in it. PremAir, who operated helicopters from Blackbushe, have closed their doors and BCA have taken
over their hangar space and redeveloping it, and sold the airport to Blinkbushe.
Blinkbushe are the holding company that own the airport, bought after 18 months of negotiations by Sir Peter
Ogden. Now the owners want to put investment into the Airport to bring the facilities up to modern
expectations. The ownership of the airport and its use in the future is not a short term investment, it is a family
business and in this long term. The Ogden family are involved in education and want to include the community
in this investment. Blinkbushe and Blink are individual companies, Cameron Ogden’s company Blink, which
operate a fleet of small executive jets, is wholly owned by the Ogden family, and they have taken over the lease
of the airport from the holding company.
Firstly, more buildings are required as the 40 000 square feet of hangar space used by PremAir have gone to
BCA. Also, space is needed to bring in rental income, to improve the sustainability of the Airport. They need
hangarage on site, and there are no facilities for customers and passengers, customs, security, flight crews, etc.
They intend to focus on maintenance and aviation engineering in the area to occupy the new-builds. There is
demand locally, they believe, and they have put together a good business model. The 1200m runway has its
limitations so the Airport will only attract a limited range of users, but there is demand for a good mix of users
other than Blink, which they want to encourage with the appropriate facilities.
Phase 1 proposed adding 12 500 sq ft of offices and workshops for maintenance, which will create new jobs on
a small scale. Also including 48,000 sq ft of hangar space tailored to suit individual users.
This could be followed by a Phase 2 of around 97 000 sq ft to accommodate flying clubs and schools currently
occupying the site, access along the perimeter so retaining a single access/exit to A30. Hampshire Highways
will be asked to look at this early into the planning stages, as the cost of providing traffic control may be
prohibitive.
Cameron Ogden assured that Aerobility will be contained within the new structure as the clubs and schools
were the lifeblood of the community that is Blackbushe. He thought that concentrating the various clubs into a
Report from Representatives on Outside Bodies
May 2016 5
single club would be encouraged. He was aware of the charitable investment that has gone into the facilities
that Aerobility have built up and, during ansd following the development, they will be accommodated with
facilities equal or better than they have at present, at no additional cost to them. The Blackbushe Cafe are
looking to refurbish their facilities anyway, and they will be incorporated into the scheme as part of the desired
mix of businesses.
When PremAir went, 75 jobs were lost, but replacement businesses could bring 100-120 jobs, including Blink,
who will be creating 20 jobs in the next two years.
Blink’s activities will make up about 1000 movements, compared with a total Airport use of 46 000, but there will
be a change in the mix following the proposed development. Currently Blink have 350 movements per year,
using 9 jets, which they plan on increasing to 20 aircraft, involving 2000 landings per year, along with other
similar users. However, with aircraft maintenance firms attracted to the airport, there would be fewer light aircraft
movements, because currently they are flying off to other airfields for maintenance. So, 1000/year or 2-3% of
the total now, will move to 3000/year, or 8-9% of total movements, over a 10 year period, but the noise profile of
jets (and modern light aircraft) gets better year on year.
On the subject of complaints about overflying built-up areas, Mick Lambert explained that with only one owner
of the airport fliers will have to conform to instructions, as Blink have handed over control of the air to the Airport
air control. He said they have not had any complaints lately and they do take complaints seriously, for example
sometimes fliers are directed where they wouldn’t normally go by Farnborough, who direct the air traffic in this
area. The helicopters were more of a problem and they always had a stock answer for the complaints; PremAir
had the Royal Flight and Police helicopters and often put the blame on them, so it was difficult for Blackbushe
tower to control. In future helicopters will be controlled by the tower, that is the plan that Blink want.
The Welsh Drive was discussed and Blackbushe have an alternative route in mind, which has worked
elsewhere. So the traditional route is retained for historic purposes, but walkers have a safe route around the
airfield’s activities. Adrian Collett related that in 1981, after Hart and Hampshire had allowed the hangar to be
built across the right of way, but before the walls were infilled, he and other interested parties walked the original
route, the last time it was ever walked.
The issue of common land was raised, Blink and Terence O’Rourke said they were looking into this as
something that will have to be addressed, as there is no more land on the airfield that can be exchanged.
Planning consent on common land requires two separate planning schemes. BCA were in the same
predicament: they have planning permission for their expansion but not common land permission. There is
Forestry land on the west of the common that could be made available.
Blink intend starting to engage the planning process within a month. There is an Extraordinary Meeting on
Monday 25 April but this is not open to the public, so Blank asked if this meeting could be held under wraps
until they have informed Aerobility and the other airport users of their schemes by the end of next week.
'
'Blackbushe Airport Consultation
Meeting
Held at Hart DC, Fleet on 21 April 2016
Cllrs Tony Spencer and Gerry Crisp attended
Cllrs Adrian Collett and David Simpson represented the County
Chairman of the meeting Mick Lambert, airport manager
Cameron Ogden, Blink MD
Emma Whittaker, Hart Planning, took notes
Various parish councillors representing Hartley Wintney and Blackwater & Hawley
Others present from Terence O’Rourke, planning consultants who put the document together, and Blink.
Cameron Ogden passed around the prepared document and said that Blackbushe Airport had suffered from no
investment over the years since BCA bought it. The airfield wasn’t part of BCA’s core business, so they took little
interest in it. PremAir, who operated helicopters from Blackbushe, have closed their doors and BCA have taken
over their hangar space and redeveloping it, and sold the airport to Blinkbushe.
Blinkbushe are the holding company that own the airport, bought after 18 months of negotiations by Sir Peter
Ogden. Now the owners want to put investment into the Airport to bring the facilities up to modern
expectations. The ownership of the airport and its use in the future is not a short term investment, it is a family
business and in this long term. The Ogden family are involved in education and want to include the community
in this investment. Blinkbushe and Blink are individual companies, Cameron Ogden’s company Blink, which
operate a fleet of small executive jets, is wholly owned by the Ogden family, and they have taken over the lease
of the airport from the holding company.
Firstly, more buildings are required as the 40 000 square feet of hangar space used by PremAir have gone to
BCA. Also, space is needed to bring in rental income, to improve the sustainability of the Airport. They need
hangarage on site, and there are no facilities for customers and passengers, customs, security, flight crews, etc.
They intend to focus on maintenance and aviation engineering in the area to occupy the new-builds. There is
demand locally, they believe, and they have put together a good business model. The 1200m runway has its
limitations so the Airport will only attract a limited range of users, but there is demand for a good mix of users
other than Blink, which they want to encourage with the appropriate facilities.
Phase 1 proposed adding 12 500 sq ft of offices and workshops for maintenance, which will create new jobs on
a small scale. Also including 48,000 sq ft of hangar space tailored to suit individual users.
This could be followed by a Phase 2 of around 97 000 sq ft to accommodate flying clubs and schools currently
occupying the site, access along the perimeter so retaining a single access/exit to A30. Hampshire Highways
will be asked to look at this early into the planning stages, as the cost of providing traffic control may be
prohibitive.
Cameron Ogden assured that Aerobility will be contained within the new structure as the clubs and schools
were the lifeblood of the community that is Blackbushe. He thought that concentrating the various clubs into a
Report from Representatives on Outside Bodies
May 2016 5
single club would be encouraged. He was aware of the charitable investment that has gone into the facilities
that Aerobility have built up and, during ansd following the development, they will be accommodated with
facilities equal or better than they have at present, at no additional cost to them. The Blackbushe Cafe are
looking to refurbish their facilities anyway, and they will be incorporated into the scheme as part of the desired
mix of businesses.
When PremAir went, 75 jobs were lost, but replacement businesses could bring 100-120 jobs, including Blink,
who will be creating 20 jobs in the next two years.
Blink’s activities will make up about 1000 movements, compared with a total Airport use of 46 000, but there will
be a change in the mix following the proposed development. Currently Blink have 350 movements per year,
using 9 jets, which they plan on increasing to 20 aircraft, involving 2000 landings per year, along with other
similar users. However, with aircraft maintenance firms attracted to the airport, there would be fewer light aircraft
movements, because currently they are flying off to other airfields for maintenance. So, 1000/year or 2-3% of
the total now, will move to 3000/year, or 8-9% of total movements, over a 10 year period, but the noise profile of
jets (and modern light aircraft) gets better year on year.
On the subject of complaints about overflying built-up areas, Mick Lambert explained that with only one owner
of the airport fliers will have to conform to instructions, as Blink have handed over control of the air to the Airport
air control. He said they have not had any complaints lately and they do take complaints seriously, for example
sometimes fliers are directed where they wouldn’t normally go by Farnborough, who direct the air traffic in this
area. The helicopters were more of a problem and they always had a stock answer for the complaints; PremAir
had the Royal Flight and Police helicopters and often put the blame on them, so it was difficult for Blackbushe
tower to control. In future helicopters will be controlled by the tower, that is the plan that Blink want.
The Welsh Drive was discussed and Blackbushe have an alternative route in mind, which has worked
elsewhere. So the traditional route is retained for historic purposes, but walkers have a safe route around the
airfield’s activities. Adrian Collett related that in 1981, after Hart and Hampshire had allowed the hangar to be
built across the right of way, but before the walls were infilled, he and other interested parties walked the original
route, the last time it was ever walked.
The issue of common land was raised, Blink and Terence O’Rourke said they were looking into this as
something that will have to be addressed, as there is no more land on the airfield that can be exchanged.
Planning consent on common land requires two separate planning schemes. BCA were in the same
predicament: they have planning permission for their expansion but not common land permission. There is
Forestry land on the west of the common that could be made available.
Blink intend starting to engage the planning process within a month. There is an Extraordinary Meeting on
Monday 25 April but this is not open to the public, so Blank asked if this meeting could be held under wraps
until they have informed Aerobility and the other airport users of their schemes by the end of next week.
'