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CONTROVERSY AT BIGGIN HILL ON BBC TV


Doctor Rita

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Hi Everyone,

Those of you in the London area may have caught an item on the BBC Evening news, 28th July, concerning Bromley Council's plans to demolish part of the BIGGIN HILL RAF CHAPEL OF REMEMBRANCE to build an ugly square 'box' of a building which will be the long awaited Battle of Britain Museum. The plans for a mini Duxford type building that could take large artifacts and even an aircraft has been pushed aside for a flat roofed 'Toilet Block' with no aviation or RAF influences and will just contain photos and video displays. This will require the demolition of the Vestry which houses the Air Crew Association stained glass window.

A quick witted local resident made a recording which can be viewed on Downe Village Website by clicking here and scrolling down to first item:  http://www.downe-kent.org.uk 

To persuade Bromley Council to reconsider their plans, an On-Line Petition has been started which already has 10,700 signatures.   To access it just Google:  Protect Biggin Hill RAF Chapel

Or just click here and please sign and share: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-biggin-hill-st-george-s-raf-chapel-of-remembrance    

Edited by Doctor Rita
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i was rather delighted to see in today's Private Eye a very supportive article of the objections to this plan, in theor Nooks and Corners column on page 21.

 

I think there is a paywall on the Eye's website, but frankly, £1.80 for the magazine - which has an honourable record of exposing chicanery is well worth it.

 

 

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"We will be removing the 1990 storage annex to allow the original design of the Grade II listed 1951 Chapel to be once again revealed. The 'Allied Aircrew' roundel window will be saved and relocated elsewhere within the new scheme."

There's a fair bit of emotive language thrown around about this; all I would suggest is that before signing the petition, read up on what the proposal is, and what's already been done. It makes it sound as though Bromley Council is entirely responsible for some "vandalism." The plan is that of the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum Trust, and they've been given Lottery Funding to do it, working with the Council. The patron of the Trust is Randolph Churchill, who I think probably has some insight into the historical significance of the place. Only one of the eight Museum Trustees is on Bromley Council, and he's been the Councillor for the Biggin Hill ward for ten years.

http://www.bhmm.org.uk

best,
M.

Edited by cmatthewbacon
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Hello Matthew,

I am surprised you are in Yorkshire because your statements seem very similar to those made by certain people around Biggin Hill who are connected with the BHMM Trust. 

Firstly I have spoken to Randolph Churchill and his reply to virtually everthing I asked was 'You will have to ask the Vice Chairman of the Trust for an answer to that'. When I put the phone down I concluded he is just the figure head.

Incredibly there are no recognised RAF/Biggin Hill historians on the Trust and, as the 92 Squadron Standard fiasco a year earlier proved, no-one of any knowledge who could recognise its huge importance. The story can be found on the web so I won't go ino detail, only to say what most readers of this forum must know, that 92 was the most famous Battle of Britain Squadron synonymous with Biggin Hill.   

As for the Vestry, I will let viewers of the BBC News item decide whether it is a building of no value, to be pulled down and replaced by a characterless ugly 'box' that is totally alien to the Chapel and with no aviation or RAF influences.

As for the Air Crew Association stained glass window, until we highlighted its presence, the Trust either failed to recognise its significance, or were trying to pretend it was not there!  There is no mention of it in their Planning application, it is unlikely that it could be removed without damage and where would you imagine it could be put in the Trust's design to look right. You will notice it is currently housed in a very elegant brick port-hole in the front of the Vestry, facing the road and is back-lit at night.  It was paid for by members of the Association and Dedicated in a special service on 11th May 1997, so the membership are rightfully 'miffed' at its possible removal and are part of the 10,900 that have already signed the petition.

The driving force behind this awful design lies within the Council, who were promoting this plan before the Trust was even formed! These Officers and Councillors were also responsible for unceremoniously pushing the 170 members of the Biggin Hill Battle of Britain Supporters Club out of the picture, despite the same Council having given unopposed Planning Approval to their 'Duxford' type Heritage Centre design only months before.

I think that covers all your points, but please raise more and I will gladly respond. Now I have a question for you, do you think the Lottery Fund should be giving the public's money towards demolition of part of the Grade II Listed Chapel and the building of a design of museum so despised by the public?

Regards,  Rita Radford 

Edited by Doctor Rita
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May as well let the Luftwaffe do the demolition for what its worth. Some modern day thinking leaves me cold...faceless bureaucrats have no notion of historical importance.

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I'm just someone who's disappointed by the ease with which the internet enables people to create petitions and get them signed off the back of a passionate statement of one side of a question that's almost always "more complicated than that". As someone with no axe to grind locally, it also amazes me that we can't just be glad that the role and service of the people at Biggin Hill, and especially during the Battle of Britain, is being remembered, celebrated and shared with younger generations, rather than seeing it as a battle between "Our" (Good) Plan and "Their" (Bad) Plan.

best,

M.

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A petition was the only avenue open to the many local, national and people worldwide to express their opposition to the Council's design of the Museum.  All other means had been totally ignored and the Council just 'Bulldozed' their plans forward. For example, at the Planning stage there were over one hundred letters of objection with just a handful in support, mostly from the Trust members themselves!   The Planning Committee was split 4/4 and the Chair voted in favour (which is the convention in these situations). There was so much concern over the procedures that an official complaint has been made to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Mathew, I fear you have been swayed in your opinions by the BHMM website, which is dishonest for starters in that at the top is the idyllic picture of the Chapel as is today. Why did they not have the courage of their convictions and show at the top how they want it to look, with all the trees and shrubs cleared, the Vestry gone and the 'Toilet Block' stuck on the side?   May I suggest they knew it would have generated even more opposition.

If this plan could have been fought by any other means, believe me we would have taken that route.

Regards,  Rita Radford.

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Signed.

I was Orderly Officer on a number of occasions at RAF Biggin Hill, when it was OASC.

The chapel was one of the places I was responsible for as OO, and it means a lot to me to have played a very small part in something so important in the rememberance of the BoB.

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  • 2 weeks later...

 Most Interesting Rita. Thank you for the detail you have provided.  I understand Matthew's concern about instant petitions etc., however I have had some experience of trying to influence 'official bodies'.

All too often only a  strong indication of public interest has any effect.  The folk appointed or who stand for 'public service' rapidly develop very thick skins, even if they didn't have them before hand. That doesn't make listening to other points of view any easier, hence the need for petitions Matthew.

Democracy doesn't work well too quietly, and we can't assume those in authority know what they are doing. Examples abound that show they are at least as frequently confused and ill informed as the rest of us. 

 

Having read into this one carefully, I will be signing this particular petition. The proposed new works are quite ugly and I haven't seen any worthwhile justification for losing the Vestry or changing the use of the Nave. Fiddling to no real benefit, and arguably to considerable loss.  The earlier proposals - which Rita describes as including a  'mini-Duxford' are much more appropriate and sympathetic. Bonnier, too! 

 

Regards,

John B

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