Building thousands of new homes on 'historically priceless' D-Day heroes airfield is an 'insult', campaigners say

Proposals to build thousands of new houses on an airfield that was home to American soldiers who contributed to D Day is an "insult", campaigners say.

Andrewsfield in Essex was the first airfield constructed by the US Air Force in England during the Second World War and from 1942 - 1945 it was home to the 322d Bomb Group who attacked coastal defences on D Day.

However campaigners have warned that the airfield is under threat by the North Essex Garden Communities project, a proposal by the local council to build 10,000 new homes.

Andrewsfield falls within an “area of search” for the project, which the council stressed is in its “very early stages.”

Dr Mike Frost, a local anesthetist leading the campaign to stop the development, said: “I think it’s very insulting. We wouldn’t walk down Normandy in France and expect to see a load of brand new houses built there, somewhere so significant, so I don’t see why it should happen here.

“It is an important monument to the airman who helped us in our darkest hour and it should be preserved for future generations.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/18/building-thousands-new-homes-historically-priceless-d-day-heroes/


I concur. What an insult and mockery to the many American aircrew lives lost based at this airfield

I don't see much wrong with this Didge, if it was building over Military Graveyards I would though.
I'v seen some of these abandoned airfields, there's just acres of concrete overgrown with weeds and half demolished buildings. I would prefer this land to be built on, [there's a terrible shortage of Homes] rather than destroy some beautiful green belt !

nicko wrote:I don't see much wrong with this Didge,   if it was building over Military Graveyards I would though.
I'v seen some of these abandoned airfields, there's just acres of concrete overgrown with weeds and half demolished buildings.    I would prefer this land to be built on, [there's a terrible shortage of Homes]  rather than destroy some beautiful green belt !

Right on. With homes and the landscaping that comes with building homes, you'd end up with more green spaces anyway.

Didge, what if one building from the original airfield was preserved as a monument? That would seem to be showing those servicemen more respect than they get now.

Oops, turns out that Andrewsfield is really green and pretty. My point stands though, for places like nicko's talking about.

I love old airfields though. There were a few where I grew up and they were all built on in the end. I used to like walking up the old airstrips in the summer, and I liked the old buildings which were scattered about.

Raggamuffin wrote:I love old airfields though. There were a few where I grew up and they  were all built on in the end. I used to like walking up the old airstrips in the summer, and I liked the old buildings which were scattered about.

I sympathize. But what are you doing to support Andrewsfield?

Over here the law regarding land use is 'highest and best use'. I don't know what the land use law is there, but unless there's something that makes sense, it's a waste. If the government wants to create a monument, fine. But otherwise, let them develop it.

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

nicko wrote:I don't see much wrong with this Didge,   if it was building over Military Graveyards I would though.
I'v seen some of these abandoned airfields, there's just acres of concrete overgrown with weeds and half demolished buildings.    I would prefer this land to be built on, [there's a terrible shortage of Homes]  rather than destroy some beautiful green belt !

Right on. With homes and the landscaping that comes with building homes, you'd end up with more green spaces anyway.

Didge, what if one building from the original airfield was preserved as a monument? That would seem to be showing those servicemen more respect than they get now.

I think that would be fair and is a good idea

@Nicko, fair point mate

I don't know why they can't build a memorial park as part of the development  --  saving a significant part of the air base, maybe parking an old restored plane, or at least a propeller, as part of a monument...

About a 15 to 20 minute drive south of here, a memorial park exists on a site in Rathmines, where the USA had it's Catalina flying boats based during WWII..

https://www.catalinaflying.org.au/rathmines.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Base_Rathmines

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

I don't know why they can't build a memorial park as part of the development  --  saving a significant part of the air base, maybe parking an old restored plane, or at least a propeller, as part of a monument...

About a 15 to 20 minute drive south of here, a memorial park exists on a site in Rathmines, where the USA had it's Catalina flying boats based during WWII..

https://www.catalinaflying.org.au/rathmines.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Base_Rathmines

Another great idea

Original Quill wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:I love old airfields though. There were a few where I grew up and they  were all built on in the end. I used to like walking up the old airstrips in the summer, and I liked the old buildings which were scattered about.

I sympathize.  But what are you doing to support Andrewsfield?

Over here the law regarding land use is 'highest and best use'.  I don't know what the land use law is there, but unless there's something that makes sense, it's a waste.  If the government wants to create a monument, fine.  But otherwise, let them develop it.

I'm resigned to the disappearance of old airfields Quill. I do have fond memories of them though.

We have to remember that most airfields were government owned and that once de-commissioned they became realisable assets that could be sold for development in order to raise cash for the exchequer. The last air base on which I served back in the sixties is now a very large housing estate.

I think if there are any iconic places or buildings on former airfields attempts are at least made to to preserve them, one such being the grave of Wing Commander Guy Gibson's dog n---er (no apologies...that was its name) that was accidentally run over and killed while Gibson was leading 617 Squadron on the famous raids on the German Mohne, Eider and Sorpe dams. If memory serves, it is at Scampton in Lincolnshire.

Most of those airfields were built around Quonset huts, anyway. They were just cow pastures before, and cow pastures after...Quonset huts moved to some storage site, or sold for scrap.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:We have to remember that most airfields were government owned and that once de-commissioned they became realisable assets that could be sold for development in order to raise cash for the exchequer. The last air base on which I served back in the sixties is now a very large housing estate.

I think if there are any iconic places or buildings on former airfields attempts are at least made to to preserve them, one such being the grave of Wing Commander Guy Gibson's dog n---er (no apologies...that was its name) that was accidentally run over and killed while Gibson was leading 617 Squadron on the famous raids on the German Mohne, Eider and Sorpe dams. If memory serves, it is at Scampton in Lincolnshire.

It is at Scampton. Here is the grave.