Listen to majority

“"blogtodi" - I understand that the group Viable includes the previous airport manager and other people who must know what happened and the pros and cons in far greater depth than you or I. The airports at Plymouth and Exeter Airport don't have to be in direct competition with each other as Plymouth's main need is a connection to London which Exeter (2 hours by train) doesn't do.
So I agree with most people that Viable should be supported in their aim to re-open the airport.”

“The whole thing is dodgy and the people refusing to answer questions are dodgy.Who exactly does Evans represent? Who did Viv represent? Same **** different parties.”

“How sad that local politicians rarely do anything for the good of the city, (for the rare ones that do i give me apologies) i don't really care whether there is an airport or not, maybe those that do will use some of their own money to invest in the project. the ex airport was a very large chunk of land to be at best given away to SHG. why would that be encouraged then??? honest Tudor , honest Viv re Central Park..a pattern there don't you think???
the only power YOU have is the vote, and how you use it. also encourage the younger voters to get involved, they are the honest cynics who don't vote because nothing will change. the incinerator yet another honest project!!!
WAKE UP GUZ...”

“@blogtodi,

the only spot anywhere near to Plymouth that is flat happens to be the current airport, except the relatively flat area in the South Hams area which was studied but rejected many years ago.

That together with the cost of starting again and closing down Exeter to justify it is even more unjustified than keeping what is already there.

Allowing the housing near to the airport can arguably be considered another terrible decision, but it cannot now be reversed. We are stuck with those decisions of the past, good or bad.
Wouldnt it be more pragmatic to 'wait and see' and give Viable a chance - even to call their bluff if indeed their ideas arent any good in reality?

I would suggest that Viable be given all the support to prove that the airport is 'viable' or not, even say give them a 10 year lease to allow them to prove it - it wont cost the population in and around Plymouth a penny to allow it to proceed, but of course it will thwart SHH's short term profiteering and the Council's windfall from that redevelopment!

If the airport still proves unviable, then what has (in the end) PCC or SHG lost - at worst a 10 year delay in their plans when also (maybe) by then it will be clearer whether the A38 and rail link will have moved up on the agenda - even a commitment to improve them, the economic situation may have improved and all the other housing etc developments currently in the pipeline will have proved whether the airport needs to be redeveloped as well!

Nothing will ever be perfect, but why the rush to put beyond use the bit of land that is the airport?”

“I'm not against the airport, b_mused. But to think it will re-open on the whims of a few people around the city goes against all reason. Plymouth had an airport, albeit a small one, it is too small to develop and is bound on all sides which limits its capacity for aircraft capable of making the airport viable.
If we need an airport at all, and I don't think there are sufficient passengers in the area to make it viable, then it must be somewhere other than Roborough. Patching up the old one and hoping things will get better is futile.
And, as I've said before, if it was a serious business proposition then some big money would have been in before now.
If Plymouth wants/needs an airport then it's time to stop pushing Roborough and get rid of it and look for a site which has a future capable of expansion. But that would still entail finding a suitable backer and the necessary air slots and route licences which are hard to come by.
I'm not against an airport just the people who are desperately trying to cling to the impossible.”

“I am curious to know why 'blogtodi' is so opposed to the airport re-opening. You won't have to pay for it or use it.”

“T G Thomas: I hope you're not elderly,as you'll be waiting an eternity for a reply on that.
Still,if Tudor is sincere about being 'open,and democratic',you'll no doubt let us know.”

“Are you saying that Exeter airport is in a parlous state? If so, what hope has Plymouth got in re-opening theirs? If Exeter is running on a shoestring then better to help them financially reinforce their business (call it Devon Airport, if you like) than to fight for 2 struggling airports in the region.
Your cause for the airport, as Steve Marketis and Neill Mitchell have pointed out, is lost. Business decisions are run on statistics and facts not emotional platitudes.”