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

[quid21]

Totally agree snoop, the area doesn’t have the pull to fill a housing estate that size, unless it has its on direct train line to London.

What It needs, is someone with deep pockets to take it over as a hub, someone like AmazonPrime comes to mind.

Wes...

Plus lets not forget the void in nearby Red Lodge from half the rentals going. Its hard to believe any increase in numbers at Lakenheath filling that void - not if they build on Mildenhall - they'll rent there instead - its closer.

We don't need more housing in this area, it's already saturated.

[andrewn]

Turning Mildenhall into a giant housing estate would be nothing short of criminal, in my opinion!

[Bilvo]

Totally agree snoop, the area doesn’t have the pull to fill a housing estate that size, unless it has its on direct train line to London.

What It needs, is someone with deep pockets to take it over as a hub, someone like AmazonPrime comes to mind.

Wes...

Er, I'm surprised you are all being so short sighted! For one thing, are you all forgetting about Cambridge, which in reality is just up the road from Mildenhall, is referred to as the "UK's Silicon Valley" with future growth planned Also in reality London, Peterborough, Luton, Northampton are all within commuting distance from Mildenhall. I have friends who commute (some even drive) from Norwich to London EVERYDAY, so why not Mildenahll?

Mildenhall IS the ideal spot for a new housing estate.

If Norfolk County Council can decree that over 40,000 new houses are required in the Northeast of Norwich, yet employment is falling rapidly with companies re-locating to other parts of the country that have been in the area for decades (and nothing replacing them), then Mildenhall with major transport links within minutes of the airfield, must be under consideration for housing.

[Nighthawke]

I suggest looking at the current road and rail usage/proximity and then re-evaluate your thoughts on travel. Mildenhall is in Suffolk and the county councils have their own agendas - Norfolk and Suffolk "do different". Only time will tell. If it is to be housing on a large scale then a lot of money would need to be invested in wider-surrounding infrastructure to make it work effectively.

[Phoon]

the government stated mildenhall was to be sold for housing.

That’s handy, move thousands of people into a new town so they can complain about the F15’s & F35’s at nearby Lakenheath.

Wes...

Until that also closes...... Keep a look out for massive upgrade works at LN, that will be a sure sign closure is imminent.

[Agent K]

As always the devil is in the detail. Luton, Northampton etc. are near major roads and railways networks, Mildenhall less so. So as above (and what always fails in any significant housing/building projects) is provision of the scale of infrastructure (roads, rail etc. required) otherwise you just have a large housing hub spilling out into country lanes with massive peak time congestion.

[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

[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 ...