RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

[Nighthawke]

...country lanes with massive peak time congestion.

Of which there is far too much already in many areas of the country.

[andrewn]

A lack of supporting infrastructure is unlikely to put the Housing lobby off, egged on by Kit Malthouse MP, the latest bumbling idiot housing minister. He was actually down the road from Mildenhall (in Ely) this week taking a tour of the countryside in search of locations to site 1 million (yes, 1 million!) new houses planned for the CAMKOX arc, or outer M25 as it will soon be.

[the concerned]

This sounds a long shot but how about Stansted airport buying mildenhall with the thought of transferring freight operations their creating more passenger slots available

[jem60]

I do wish that people on F.C. would stop referring to politicians as 'bumbling idiots' etc. It is extremely childish, rude, arrogant, and implies that YOU now how to run the country better than they do, which is an idiotic suggestion!!, because you certainly don't. Kit Malthouse is far better educated that most of us on this site. People on here may have an idea about running housing but little knowledge of how to implement it.!!. Fine by me to discuss politics, but lets not sink to the depths of being rude and insulting.

[Pune]

Did I not read a while ago that closure of Mildenhall had been put on hold, may have been on another forum but I'm sure I've seen it.

[Spitfire88]

Did I not read a while ago that closure of Mildenhall had been put on hold, may have been on another forum but I'm sure I've seen it.

Untill 2024 yes

[BOLLO]

2030 Mildenhall may close.

[slogen51]

A Mildenhall taxi driver said to me that it was 2025 at the earliest

[Dave934]

2030 Mildenhall may close.

This might be the longest thread in the history of FC
Dave.

[BOLLO]

2030 Mildenhall may close.

This might be the longest thread in the history of FC
Dave.

Will be if taxi drivers have anything to do with it.

[Redflag17]

This thread will keep going until 2024 at the earliest

[Pune]

Did I not read a while ago that closure of Mildenhall had been put on hold, may have been on another forum but I'm sure I've seen it.

Untill 2024 yes

Thanks Spitfire88 and as Bollo says 2030 was the date I heard/saw mentioned..here's hoping.

[slogen51]

2030 Mildenhall may close.

This might be the longest thread in the history of FC
Dave.

Another twelve years of this thread to 2030 will probably see a lot of our life threads spun out!

[Supra]

I think the commute to work is a superficial factor & possibly a red herring in this case. With the local Infrastructure already maxed-out & very little other local employment opportunities, I remain positive they could fill all the houses if they were built on the former RAF Mildenhall...with people who don't go to work & get their rent paid by the Local Authority.
It rather depends if the Developers build-out luxury 4/5 bedroom houses & just minimum requirement Social/Affordable homes? or just build all affordable homes to meet the Government/Local needs?

[Mavke]

The closing date can be shifted agian , now that trump starts another cold war ...

[filmman]

Man proposes, God disposes.
Government policy regarding rising Sea Levels is "managed" retreat. Predicted that by 2100 sea levels will be 1 metre higher; websites show the impact. However, Climate Change appears to be accelerating. Even at 1 metre, small parts of RAF Mildenhall, which borders a depression stretching to Peterborough, are below sea level. At 3 metres a larger area is a salt water lagoon unless the Wash's sea defences are improved. Initially improved local drainage and pumping would keep most of the Fens/base dry but vulnerable to localised flash flooding which is increasing (Boscastle) or prolonged rain (the Somerset Levels).
If the base closes by 2025+ and after a clean up building might start after 2030+.
However, house mortgages are often for 25 years, and the Government deal on flood insurance does not apply to new build, thus dissuading building on flood plains. So, if the Government's flood policy remains unchanged it might be difficult to sell some new "base" houses.
What does this mean. Either the Government will go Dutch on sea defences, even then it might only defend other more valuable areas, or in the long term it will write off large areas of the Fens to become a nice fresh water green/environmental marsh, defend limited areas and direct new building to safer areas. I can't believe that they won't keep the sea out. So Mildenhall might still be built on.
I bet you did not expect that! Perhaps the USAF did.
I would recommend checking the maps predicting future coastal changes, they are worrying.
Filmman

[romeo bravo]

Predicted that by 2100 sea levels will be 1 metre higher; websites show the impact.
Filmman

I remember when at school (mid-70s) doing Geography at A-level that by 2020 Peterborough was going to be by the sea; so much for the flooding and that was before global warming had even been thought about.

[filmman]

Romeo bravo that's an interesting comment.
Before global warming England was sinking and Scotland was rising because of Glacial Rebound. Think of Great Britain as a raft. The Scottish end was pushed down more than the south coast because the ice sheet was thicker further north and as it gradually retreated northwards the south rose up. Now it's gradually levelling back to normal. Global warming is merely adding to the souths relative sinking.
Filmman

[Spitfire88]

A Press release from the USAF regarding fairford's future operations will be officially realeased on Monday.

[sgtangel]

Local council and the MP have already announced it. Just confirms what we all knew really. Question on my lips is, are the RAF RC135s going to join them?