Protect GAMA site (the bunkers) on Greenham, Julian Swift-Hook turns turtle? Options

[Iommi]

It seems that the councillor, Julian Swift-Hook, that voted FOR the massive Sainsbury's depot on Greenham Common, now 'sees the value' in heritage and is protesting against the GAMA site becoming a car park!

Julian Swift-Hook said he will lobby the White House and the Pentagon over plans for car storage on the GAMA site
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=15593

[JeffG]

Cruise missile silos a scheduled monument?? I'd have thought the sooner they were forgotten about the better.

[Iommi]

Cruise missile silos a scheduled monument?? I'd have thought the sooner they were forgotten about the better.

Bit like former battle grounds, castles, war machines, concentration camps, etc?

[blackdog]

It's always good to forget the past - allows us to make the same mistakes over and over again.

[dannyboy]

English Provender would have hidden the view of Sainsbury's from the silos.

[Iommi]

English Provender would have hidden the view of Sainsbury's from the silos.

Eh???

[dannyboy]

Eh???

The huge great big white factory that sits inbetween the silos & the proposed site Prologis were to develop. Making viewing of the one from the other nigh on impossible.

English Provender - You know, the people who allegedly import vats of processed food & then repackage it as from some quaint cottage industry.

[Iommi]

The huge great big white factory that sits inbetween the silos & the proposed site Prologis were to develop. Making viewing of the one from the other nigh on impossible. English Provender - You know, the people who allegedly import vats of processed food & then repackage it as from some quaint cottage industry.

Never heard of her. Do you mean the other 'marvellous' approved development nick-named Ayers Rock?

[dannyboy]

Never heard of her. Do you mean the other 'marvellous' approved development nick-named Ayers Rock?

http://www.englishprovender.com/

tut tut, Uluru.

[JeffG]

Bit like former battle grounds, castles, war machines, concentration camps, etc?

It's always good to forget the past - allows us to make the same mistakes over and over again.

If that's the real reason for keeping them (as a warning), then fine. I had a different impression, especially when the plan is to lobby the Pentagon to back their preservation.

[Iommi]

If that's the real reason for keeping them (as a warning), then fine. I had a different impression, especially when the plan is to lobby the Pentagon to back their preservation.

Your opinion is as valid as any, but my point was more the apparent inconsistency of Cllr Julian Swift-Hook

[Ron]

Flew over it the other day and couldn't see where they were going to park 6000+ cars.

[Darren]

It's also the cost of removing them. Not exactly flat-pack/

[Biker1]

It's also the cost of removing them. Not exactly flat-pack/

I was told they were so thick with reinforced concrete that they were almost impossible to demolish.
That's why they were left when all else was demolished and taken away.
Could be wrong - just what I was told!

[Cognosco]

Flew over it the other day and couldn't see where they were going to park 6000+ cars.

Ten stories high - multi story car park - perhaps?

[Simon Kirby]

Whatever the merits of Cllr Swift-Hook's campaign, I think he should be applauded for the time and effort he has invested in his web site. Quality job Julian, well done, that's sure to get you noticed.

[Blake]

I'll be honest with you all as I have been looking at this issue since 2003 when Flying A Services bought the site.

The public are only being given one side of this complex story.

Flying A Services main operation is the restoration of classic aircraft. In buying this site, the main goal has always been to restore it, maintain it and open a museum on the site. I am 100% sure these are bona fide plans. I have seen some of the things they are looking to do.

Of course, a site like that does not fund itself, especially in these times of economic meltdown. The car storage plan is so the site can secure some income for its ultimate preservation. This would NOT harm the site; most of it is BOMB PROOF and there are agreed limits as to what could be done on the site anyway.

It could also create jobs for local people.

I think the plans should go ahead as it would allow the site to be ultimately preserved and, at last, give us a well deserved museum to how Greenham Common helped win the Cold War.

[Phil_D11102]

I tried to get support from the WBC, NTC, the RBL and the Greenham Trust to have a plaque put up there for everyone who served at the base, regardless of nationality, regardless of the time they were there. A simple little plaque saying to those who served, thanks. Nothing fancy.

I had the door slammed in my face...

Greenham Common is a major historical military site.. One of the most famous photos of WWII was taken there, of men who knew they had an excellent chance of dying that day. The cruise missle was a weapon system designed to counter the Soviet deployment of their short range missles, and to force the Soviets to the table to talk.

After the Americans and MOD left, the "Council" turned away offers to turn Greenham Lodge into a hotel, so they could get the site themselves at a low cost. In the end it was a school. The GAMA and Building 274 could of been an amazing Cold War Musuem, to also include information about WWII and the part that Newbury played. Remember, the race course and I believe Donnington Castle were also locations used during WWII.

The council sold off the GAMA, and now Flying A Services owns it. I have heard that they eventually wish to turn the GAMA into some sort of "museum", which is more that anyone has done in the past.

Does Cllr Julian Swift-Hook really think that the U.S. is going to give money when locally nothing has been done? Reality check time. If they do, who is going to provide the money to keep it going?

The Local Gov't has had their opportunity and blew it. They can't even keep the already established museum going.

The Local Gov't has approved other business to increase the traffic onto the local roads, but they they think some 6000 cars will just roll up to GC, or will they be transported. The site may hold up to some 6000 cars, but nobody has said they will put that many on the site. The site was built to withstand a nuclear blast, you think some exhaust fumes will damage it?

Sorry, but again the Local Gov't and other agencies blew it, let someone else try.

Attached File(s)

 748px_Eisenhower_d_day.jpg ( 88.57K ) Number of downloads: 3

 

[Simon Kirby]

I walk round the GAMA site regularly (and I wonder if Julian does as much). The razor wire has gone, but I resent the cold-war fencing that remains - the war is over. Give it back to the people. Take down the fencing and if people want to picknic on the mounds then that's a fitting monument.

[Richard Garvie]

Fair play to Julian for standing up for something he believes in. But if they aren't knockingthe silo's down, and the overall goal is to turn them into a museum, surely that's positive? If there is a danger of physical damage being done, Julian is right to object. But if not, I can't see the Pentagon supporting his petition.