Biggin Hill expansion

[jasman71]

Airport expansions -regardless how big or small - and old WW2 airfield demolitions are emotive subjects, and for good reason. Having spent ten years going to the wonderful West Malling shows, and working there for a time painting Saab 340s, I can say I have experienced it first hand. The following is a copy and paste from the Kent Battle of Britain museum page on Facebook, as I know many on here probably don't use it or have access to it...

Sad news from our friend Joel Diggle relating to former RAF Biggin Hill:

It has just been made semi - public (Airport Management have told General Aviation users on the site verbally this morning)

That they are to vacate Biggin Hills historic E-Pens as they are all due to be demolished to make way for Airport expansion following Bromley Borough Councils recent permission to extend the airfields opening hours of operation.

The Air Scouts who occupy a facility on the site as their HQ and house and operate a very rare original DeHavilland Comet simulator of national aviation importance, after 40 years on site, just last week were given notice to have left the site with all their equipment by 30th September.

Also to be destroyed is an original RAF 1940 Pilots dispersal hut which is in the way of a new car park!

Sadly none of these Structures of National Historical Importance are listed by any Heritage protection order (not that I think that would stop them as I'm sure the local Government has all in its pockets!)

Under a smoke screen of save the 'RAF Biggin Hill Memorial Chapel & Site Heritage' from loss after the RAF ceased control of it in March 2016.

In public meetings last year during the very public 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Comemorations it looked like they were the Champions of Biggin Hill and it's history being saved for future generations.

But behind closed doors and under the radar they have had their own agenda and it stinks of pure greed and absolutely no compassion at all.

Thank goodness the likes of the late S/Ldr Tony Pickering, AE are not around to witness this behaviour.

Biggin Hill, Internationally famous site of the FEW and its key role in protecting the Freedom of Britain, Europe and the World is now just another cash cow for the greed of a selfish and uncaring generation.

Soap Box away......Anger and Rant far from over.....just for now.......

BIGGIN HILL AIRPORT LTD........able to do with a smile what the Luftwaffe failed to do over years and with 1,000's of KG'S of High Explosive......Destroy the Sprit and Heart of 'Biggin on the Bump!'

�#�LBH_airportruinschildrenslives�

[Truro Model Builder]

We cannot keep everything, and neither should we. Biggin Hill is a working airport, and not a museum. There are preserved examples of these structures on other disused or preserved airfields so while it will be a shame to see some of these structures go, the legitimate owners of Biggin Hill should be permitted to expand their premises to suit their future business needs.

In any case, looking at the tagline at the bottom of that rant I think the writer has his own agenda regarding Biggin Hill that is not necessarily to do with losing historic buildings.