Help try to save our Battle of Britain heritage!

Air-Scene UK recently found out that the RAF's last remaining piece of original Battle of Britain infrastructure still used by an operational flying squadron is due for demolition at Northolt.

32(TR) Squadron's mess and flight planning room, built in 1928 and annexed to the sole Type A hangar was the operational ready room for squadrons during the Battle of Britain, and is due to be flattened, along with the hangar, to make way for new buildings as a result of the closure of Uxbridge and Bentley Priory through the MoDEL (Ministry of Defence Estates London) project. Apparently the contractor insists it is the 'most cost-effective solution'...

In 1940 famous squadrons such as 1, 43 and 111, all still in existence, would have parked their Hurricanes in front of the A type hangar while the pilots would try and relax on the grass, waiting for the telephone in what is today 32 Squadron's mess block to ring. While the grass may have given way to a concrete apron, the hangar and adjacent buildings are virtually as they were in 1940 and are still in superb condition. The Type A is becoming a rare breed of hangar, this one at Northolt being probably the best example in the country - the planning application for the MoDEL redevelopment, ref 189/APP/2006/2091, erroneously states both hangars are type 'C', thereby underplaying the Type A's historical value.

Project MoDEL will make an initial capital investment of £180 million in the re-development of RAF Northolt to create MoD‘s first integrated ‘anchor’ site in London. Approximately 900 military and civilian personnel from the disposal sites will join the existing complement of around 900 at RAF Northolt.

On 3 August 2006 VSM Estates Ltd were awarded the Project MoDEL contract. VSM Estates will be responsible for delivering Project MoDEL through funding and project managing the construction requirements (primarily at RAF Northolt), the relocation of units, and the actual disposal of the surplus sites. VSM Estates Ltd, a consortium of VINCI PLC and St Modwen Properties PLC have commented that “We are committed to providing high quality facilities at RAF Northolt, which offer best value for money, whilst delivering planning consents for the sites to be released which are robust and sustainable and which generate value over the long term. We will be investing significantly in infrastructure within and around the key sites to deliver plots of land primed for immediate development.” No reference to the nation's heritage, as you can see.

Defence Estates developed a new procurement strategy that is designed to involve industry in a deeper and more co-ordinated manner. This methodology, ‘Prime Plus Contracting’ (PPC), builds on the procurement principles of prime contracting and Private Finance Initatives (PFI) in seeking to align the interests of the contractor with those of MOD through incentivisation mechanisms including a profit sharing arrangement. PPC enables the contractor, rather than the MOD, to fund and manage the delivery of the programme, including the development of the core site at RAF Northolt, moving units to their new accommodation, and the sale of surplus sites. Hence the contractor is incentivised to look for least-cost solutions, regardless of the impact on 'soft' issues such as tradition and heritage.

The squadron is completely opposed to the demolition but obviously is in a position of obeying their lords & masters. This seems an appalling dismissal of our nation's heritage by Defence Estates and, coming so soon after Coltishall's closure, seems a slap in the face. It seems Hillingdon Council has quickly approved the plans - click here for a site layout. The only reference in the planning application to the heritage of the aerodrome is the officers' mess - indeed, trees have more protection than the BoB architecture.

We created a petition at the Nr 10 Downing St website which can be accessed here. It finished on 11 February, and the Government's response can be seen here. To save you clicking the link, the reply is reproduced below:

The Government takes its obligations to preserving the heritage of the defence estate very seriously. However, the need to preserve must be balanced against the need to fulfil our defence requirements, both now and in the future.

Project MOD Estates London (MoDEL) seeks to implement the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Estate Strategy by combining operations from a number of sites across Greater London at RAF Northolt. It represents a significant rationalisation of the defence estate in Greater London, consolidating the facilities occupied by UK forces onto a modern, integrated 'anchor site'. This will generate a number of benefits in terms of reduced running costs, improved efficiency, consolidated resources and improvement to quality of life for the current and future generations of MOD personnel.

In investing an initial £180 million in the development of RAF Northolt the MOD developed a masterplan, informed by the English Heritage's Aviation Thematic Review. This masterplan sought to deliver a fit for purpose site which improved the quality of service personnel accommodation while preserving and recording heritage elements. At only 190 hectares the site is a relatively small airfield and the area capable of development is constrained by town and country planning limitations. There are also issues relating to airfield operations and security restrictions.

Difficult decisions had to be made. Both the A type hanger (hanger 6), including the associated Operational ready room, and the former Operations Room (building 27), were not recommended for listing as part of the Aviation Thematic review and are subsequently to be demolished after an agreed scheme of archaeological recording. These buildings will make way for the new offices and parade square for the Queen's Colour Squadron plus a facility to house the Central Band of the RAF and Headquarters Music Service.

Significantly the masterplan also includes enhancement to the setting of certain buildings such as the current Station HQ, (building 28) and the Officers' Mess which is being sympathetically enlarged and its function retained in keeping with its Grade II listed status.

Through this MOD intends to strike the right balance between preserving the most important elements of our Nation's past whilst meeting the needs of our armed forces in the future.

Home | Airshows | The Hangar | Nostalgia | Links