Following recent reports that Shoreham Airport could possibly close, English Heritage has voiced their concerns over the current state of airport buildings, especially older ones in small airport locations. In alerting the nation, they have asked for answers from Shoreham Airport’s owners and management as to the future of the airport itself.
But at a recent meeting, and having been called to task, the airport’s manager, Ric Belfield, responded by saying that there were ongoing confidential negotiations and as such, he was unable to comment until at least the end of May. This didn’t hold back James Appleton who is Head of Planning at Worthing Borough Council – they hold a one-third share of the airport freehold. As far as he is concerned, the Council wants the airport to remain open as a placement of leisure and employment; just without the taxpayer picking up the tab.
It appears that the general consensus of opinion is that Shoreham Airport should remain open and many are supporting English Heritage’s pressure on the owners and operators of the airport to carry out improvements.
Shoreham Airport’s main building is one of the best examples of Art Deco buildings in the county, and there are people who want to protect it. Gerard Rosenberg, Society chairman, said: “We all know how important the airport is to Shoreham as part of its personal. So, it is of great concern to us that the airport and its buildings are maintained.”
Vice-chairman of the Shoreham Airport Operators and Tenants Association (SAOTA), David Skertchly, echoes these words, adding: “We believe there is a serious risk to the airfield. The money has certainly not been spent on the terminal building and the municipal hangar next to it, which is just as important.”
In the late 1990s, the government made policy changes to brownfield site planning permission, which are important to airfields such as Shoreham and with so many airfields having been snapped up by developers in the South, it’s no wonder there’s a call to save Shoreham Airport.
This historic airport’s humble beginnings were in 1909 when a solicitor, George Arthur Wingfield, took a 6-month lease on some land adjacent to New Salts Farm and from there, with Harold Piffard, an amateur aviator and artist, an association was formed. The last major work at the airport was a 900 yard hard runway which was built in July 1982, not a lot has happened since then… time to make amends and keep hold of our heritage.