Energy HQ Blackpool Airport

Massive white Elephant.

Was built on the strength of mass fracking was coming to the area and it was to be a state of the art energy college which never materialised due to fracking get the big heave ho.

It was being talked about last year of it becoming the new air terminal for the airport but nothing yet decided.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Massive white Elephant.

Was built on the strength of mass fracking was coming to the area and it was to be a state of the art energy college which never materialised due to fracking get the big heave ho.

It was being talked about last year of it becoming the new air terminal for the airport but nothing yet decided.
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How many millions wasted? 😳 Of "our" money
 
Limechase said:
How many millions wasted? 😳 Of "our" money
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I think it was corporate money that helped fund it.

I know Cuadrilla threw some money at it to start the project and the council were given some sort of energy grant but yes what a waste of money it’s been.

Had a mate of mine who’s son worked there for the first few months he was an instructor there and he told me the college had 4-5 students in the early days which just never got going to what it was designed for some weeks they didn’t have a single student so he packed up after 6 months and went back to Bispham college as he go fed up.
 
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Blackpool Council and quite a few training provider's in the North West do use the site for classes and courses.
Now they are running an A road from Queensway across the runway and through to the business park.....that Airport aint opening
 
B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Blackpool Council and quite a few training provider's in the North West do use the site for classes and courses.
Now they are running an A road from Queensway across the runway and through to the business park.....that Airport aint opening
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The airports is not closed so not sure what your saying?

The new road is going through the industrial estate linking Amy Johnson way to Common Edge road it is not going across the runway I can assure you.

Lots in the pipeline planned for the airport trust me.
 
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Thought it was going to be the new solar energy / windpower training faculty. Should use the decaying airport for solar panel / wind turbine farm.
 
Just wondering, if you look at the direction of the road they have already cleared away, coming off at Queensway (soon to be a roundabout)
The road goes across to the business park....crossing the longer runway
In any location, the closeness of an A road would reduce the runway protection zone for any passenger jet
So why pass an A road through that land, if they were going to have passenger jets use the only runway they can land on?
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B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Just wondering, if you look at the direction of the road they have already cleared away, coming off at Queensway (soon to be a roundabout)
The road goes across to the business park....crossing the longer runway
In any location, the closeness of an A road would reduce the runway protection zone for any passenger jet
So why pass an A road through that land, if they were going to have passenger jets use the only runway they can land on?
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I’ve never seen than plan before where’s it from?

All I can say is it’s not going across the main runway or indeed under it the new road is going in to the north well away from the runway.

The main runway actually comes under a protection order which states the land adjacent cannot be built on it is in fact an exclusion zone.
 
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I live next to it and it ain’t going across the runway,the road leaves common edge and goes through Collins park pitch into the industrial park linking up with existing road back of Morrisons
 
So why does it have a sign by the side of the junction of Kilnhouse and Queensway the land has been purchased for a new road?
They have started clearing the land...and the pic I put up is the direction it's going in????.....strange

I know that there's a road being constructed by Fylde & Kensington developments from Queensway to the new moss road
This opens up all the land either side of the new moss road (owned by a certain rapist and family) for housing.

I stand to be corrected, but where's that road going if not across the airport?
 
The road from the motorway goes across the moss and will join the junction of Kilnhouse and Queensway ,I don’t think this junction goes onto the airport industrial estate .
 
Cuthbert said:
Thought the Enterprise Zone incentives are about to finish? You may note Doncaster, Southend and Carlisle are all closed and for sale. Teesside is barely surviving with huge public sector subsidy. The best thing for the airport is to redevelop it?
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For the record Southend airport is NOT closed and never has been apart from the pandemic period it was however put up for sale in June 2023.

Today Easy Jet operate flights to several European destinations including Paris Amsterdam and Alicante and further summer flights planned this summer to Malaga Faro Geneva Palma and Burgas and Aeroitalia plan flights to Bergamo in the summer so it’s far from closed.

Carlisle has been closed for over 2 years but Doncaster although closed at the moment has an aviation backed consortium who are drawing up plans buy it and re-open it later this year wether it happens or not remains to be seen.

Finally the Blackpool airport Enterprise zone is still generating new business and jobs to the area the new link road from Amy Johnson way to common edge road is all part of the new enterprise plans.
 
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Doncaster was formally out to tender in November even though the council don’t own it. You never answered the question on the Enterprise Zone. The incentives at Teesside are far superior and don’t expire in 10 weeks time. Blackpool is being propped up by the council tax payer.
 
Cuthbert said:
Doncaster was formally out to tender in November even though the council don’t own it. You never answered the question on the Enterprise Zone. The incentives at Teesside are far superior and don’t expire in 10 weeks time. Blackpool is being propped up by the council tax payer.
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I thought my last paragraph regarding the Blackpool airport enterprise zone was answered perfectly, it’s still growing and still creating jobs.

And I’ve never doubted what goes on at Teeside that’s another one you’ve just thrown in so stop moving the goal posts.
 
todayistheday said:
Why does Blackpool need an airport, maybe a small area of which I think there is for a helipor is all that is needed.
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Why does it need an airport?

Over 200 people are employed both directly and indirectly by the airport.

Two Flying clubs, A Helicopter training school, Westair air services (Cessna main agent) Hanger 3 executive services, airport fire and rescue service, security, Air Traffic control, Air Ambulance, off shore support (gas rigs) not to mention all people who privately own aircraft based there.

So are you suggesting the majority of them lose their jobs when the airport gets closed?
 
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Jaffa_The_Hut said:
I thought my last paragraph regarding the Blackpool airport enterprise zone was answered perfectly, it’s still growing and still creating jobs.

And I’ve never doubted what goes on at Teeside that’s another one you’ve just thrown in so stop moving the goal posts.
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The enterprise zone benefits to any future occupiers come to and shortly so is therefore pretty useless for inward investment. Your statement sounds far too political to be of any use. We looked at Blackpool Airport and the service offered was shocking. Our planning application is now at another ‘airfield’.
 
Cuthbert said:
The enterprise zone benefits to any future occupiers come to and shortly so is therefore pretty useless for inward investment. Your statement sounds far too political to be of any use. We looked at Blackpool Airport and the service offered was shocking. Our planning application is now at another ‘airfield’.
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Political? Another one thrown in I’ve never even mentioned anything at all political. 🤷‍♂️

To my knowledge the airport enterprise zone is still an ongoing thing and will be for some time yet and new business is still being attracted to the area if you disagree fair enough but you said Southend airport had closed when clearly it hasn’t.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Political? Another one thrown in I’ve never even mentioned anything at all political. 🤷‍♂️

To my knowledge the airport enterprise zone is still an ongoing thing and will be for some time yet and new business is still being attracted to the area if you disagree fair enough but you said Southend airport had closed when clearly it hasn’t.
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Spend someone else's money likes its your own but without the responsibility; problem with the dependency culture. Its a vanity project and if you don't see it then God help you.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Political? Another one thrown in I’ve never even mentioned anything at all political. 🤷‍♂️

To my knowledge the airport enterprise zone is still an ongoing thing and will be for some time yet and new business is still being attracted to the area if you disagree fair enough but you said Southend airport had closed when clearly it hasn’t.
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Are you Scott Benton?
 
Cuthbert said:
Spend someone else's money likes its your own but without the responsibility; problem with the dependency culture. Its a vanity project and if you don't see it then God help you.
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I’ve still not worked out what your gripe on this subject is actually about? 🤷‍♂️
 
I think with Doncaster Aitport, it is actually the City of Doncaster Council ( with some support from the South Yorkshire Combined Authority) that have negoiated a long term lease with Peel Holdings, who own the land and terminal (which would need re-equiping because fixtures and fittings were removed). The Council went out to tender late last year for an operator for it (on a long term lease) and have a number of interested parties. They expect the airport to be in profit in 5 years and the whole development project is called South Yorkshire City Airport. The road and other infrastructure around the airport had already been improved to enable wider development.
I hope it does reopen because it was a good and covenient airport for me, living near Lincoln.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
For the record Southend airport is NOT closed and never has been apart from the pandemic period it was however put up for sale in June 2023.

Today Easy Jet operate flights to several European destinations including Paris Amsterdam and Alicante and further summer flights planned this summer to Malaga Faro Geneva Palma and Burgas and Aeroitalia plan flights to Bergamo in the summer so it’s far from closed.

Carlisle has been closed for over 2 years but Doncaster although closed at the moment has an aviation backed consortium who are drawing up plans buy it and re-open it later this year wether it happens or not remains to be seen.

Finally the Blackpool airport Enterprise zone is still generating new business and jobs to the area the new link road from Amy Johnson way to common edge road is all part of the new enterprise plans.
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It's been on our local news that they are trying to reopen Donny but nothing as of yet.

There is a market for the smaller airports if they pitch it right. Blackpool would fit that bill.
 
B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Just wondering, if you look at the direction of the road they have already cleared away, coming off at Queensway (soon to be a roundabout)
The road goes across to the business park....crossing the longer runway
In any location, the closeness of an A road would reduce the runway protection zone for any passenger jet
So why pass an A road through that land, if they were going to have passenger jets use the only runway they can land on?
View attachment 17849
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The real road map.
 
seasideone said:
What’s your connection with Blackpool Airport as you seem to be quite passionate about it?
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I’m part of the Blackpool airport supporters group we meet regularly with the airports MD I also do fund raising and support the Spitfire trust based at the airport.
I also have an added interest and support the L-39 Albatross that flys out of the airport as I know the pilot and ground support crew as were all ex BAE Systems lads that worked together a good few years ago.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
I’m part of the Blackpool airport supporters group we meet regularly with the airports MD I also do fund raising and support the Spitfire trust based at the airport.
I also have an added interest and support the L-39 Albatross that flys out of the airport as I know the pilot and ground support crew as were all ex BAE Systems lads that worked together a good few years ago.
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What commercial flights do you see getting of the ground eventually?
 
seasideone said:
What commercial flights do you see getting of the ground eventually?
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Start small think big.

Think we’ll see domestic flights within the next 2 years starting up hopefully sooner flying to places like IOM, Belfast, Dublin, London and possibly a European gateway the MD and his team are already talking to interested parties/airlines.

Package holiday flights are still a long way off yet if at all but not completely ruled out at some point.

There’s big plans for the future of the airport drawn up already to become a maintenance and painting facility 2 new large hangers are planned to be built taking up to Boeing 737 size aircraft and several smaller ones for private commercial use.

I’m not saying it’s all going to come off for one minute but up to 200 jobs could be created if it does.

Let’s not forget the airport is now for the first time in decades making a profit (last couple of years) so any commercial flights has to be right for the airport management team as in its heyday around 2000-2010 when half a million passenger went through the airport in a year it was still loosing over £3m a year.

2024 could be a very challenging but rewarding time for the airport so fingers crossed. 🤞
 
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Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Start small think big.

Think we’ll see domestic flights within the next 2 years starting up hopefully sooner flying to places like IOM, Belfast, Dublin, London and possibly a European gateway the MD and his team are already talking to interested parties/airlines.

Package holiday flights are still a long way off yet if at all but not completely ruled out at some point.

There’s big plans for the future of the airport drawn up already to become a maintenance and painting facility 2 new large hangers are planned to be built taking up to Boeing 737 size aircraft and several smaller ones for private commercial use.

I’m not saying it’s all going to come off for one minute but up to 200 jobs could be created if it does.

2024 could be a very challenging but rewarding time for the airport so fingers crossed. 🤞
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How can you build a facility for 737 aircraft when the runway isn’t long enough for a 737.

…or is it long enough if the plane is empty?
 
seasideone said:
How can you build a facility for 737 aircraft when the runway isn’t long enough for a 737.

…or is it long enough if the plane is empty?
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737’s used to fly out of Blackpool all the time when Jet2 and Ryanair used to operate out of here.

Much bigger aircraft have used Blackpool airport in the past like Boeing 757’s (Air 2000 and First choice) we’re regular visitors, I’ve even got a picture of a Boeing 707 at Blackpool granted it was privately owned (some Saudi Sheik) so no weight restrictions applied.
 
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Jaffa_The_Hut said:
737’s used to fly out of Blackpool all the time when Jet2 and Ryanair used to operate out of here.

Much bigger aircraft have used Blackpool airport in the past like Boeing 757’s.
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I thought the new 737s that the locos use were much bigger now and that was the issue?
 
seasideone said:
I thought the new 737s that the locos use were much bigger now and that was the issue?
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Yes I’m going back a few years now when Jet2 and Ryanair operated much smaller Boeing 737’s these were -300 to -700’s they’ve been replaced these days by much larger 737’s like the -800 -900 and the Max series and yes although they could still operate out of Blackpool they could only do it with restrictions like reduced passenger loads/numbers or less fuel as they would exceed the max take off weights for the length of runway at Blackpool.
As someone mentioned above all the small Airbus family of jets like the A319/A320 can easily use Blackpool airport.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Yes I’m going back a few years now when Jet2 and Ryanair operated much smaller Boeing 737’s these were -300 to -700’s they’ve been replaced these days by much larger 737’s like the -800 -900 and the Max series and yes although they could still operate out of Blackpool they could only do it with restrictions like reduced passenger loads/numbers or less fuel as they would exceed the max take off weights for the length of runway.
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So we are back to the runway is not big enough for the current locos aircraft!
 
seasideone said:
So we are back to the runway is not big enough for the current locos aircraft!
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Yes they are but with weight restrictions.

London city airport handles 3 million passengers a year and has destinations to over 20 cities across Europe its runway is a full 1,000 feet (305 metres) smaller than Blackpools runway so it’s not all about the largest Boeing 737’s as they don’t fly in/out I just used that as a size guide for the size of the hangers being planned at Blackpool.
 
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London City is probably better located to make airlines want to use it!

Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Yes they are but with weight restrictions.

London city airport handles 3 million passengers a year and has destinations to over 20 cities across Europe its runway is a full 1,000 feet (305 metres) smaller than Blackpools runway so it’s not all about the largest Boeing 737’s as they don’t fly in/out I just used that as a size guide for the size of the hangers being planned at Blackpool.
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Looking at there timetable it appears to be mainly national carriers - probably wanting to connect with London.

It’s an interesting example of a small runway airport but very very very different to Blackpool.

Which is sad really - and I can never see Ryan Air operating under capacity flights!!
 
seasideone said:
London City is probably better located to make airlines want to use it!


Looking at there timetable it appears to be mainly national carriers - probably wanting to connect with London.

It’s an interesting example of a small runway airport but very very very different to Blackpool.

Which is sad really - and I can never see Ryan Air operating under capacity flights!!
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I completely agree but other airlines out there using small aircraft.

The turboprop market has increased massively over the last decade these are what Blackpool airport are looking at not the bigger Jets.
 
I hope we get loads of routes as it would be good for the town.

I don’t think it will happen though - but I would be delighted to be proven wrong 👍
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
I’m part of the Blackpool airport supporters group we meet regularly with the airports MD I also do fund raising and support the Spitfire trust based at the airport.
I also have an added interest and support the L-39 Albatross that flys out of the airport as I know the pilot and ground support crew as were all ex BAE Systems lads that worked together a good few years ago.
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Is that the lad from Blackburn? I watched a documentary about him buying that aircraft. Well the second one he bought.
 
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