Theft of the commons
Keith Parkins | 06.12.2005 14:48 | Analysis | Ecology | Repression
The theft of common land helped launch the current airport expansion plans.
During the Second World War, land was requisitioned for airfields. Lincolnshire, with so many airfields, was nicknamed Bomber County.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/lincolnshire
By the 1960s, many of these airfields, no longer used, were crumbling. There were though exceptions. RAF Waddington and RAF Conningsby are now front line bases. Waddington and Coningsby are home to strike aircraft, Waddington is home to around half a dozen AWACs.
Former RAF East Kirkby passed back to local farmers the Panton Brothers and they have restored it as a memorial to their brother and the many other flight crews who lost their lives in WWII.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/lincolnshire/lincs-aviation.htm
It was not though only farmers' lands that were seized, common land was also seized.
Greenham Common, in the 1980s was a site for Cruise Missiles, and a site of many protests, including a Peace Camp. Parts of Greenham Common has been handed back and restored as a common.
Fairwood Common in the Gower Peninsular was seized during WWII as an airbase for training fighter pilots. The Gower Peninsular in South Wales was the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to be designated.
The airbase was allowed to fall into rack and ruin, but not handed back to the commoners. Commoners were offered a derisory £50 to extinguish their common rights, but some like local farmer Ted Solomon refused to accept the paltry offer, and waive all their commoners rights.
A local business man, owner of Air Wales, bought the airfield on a long term lease intending to operate it as a holiday airport, and for fast connections to London.
The local council, bar one honourable councillor, in the face of strong local opposition and in the absence of an Environment Survey, approved the plans.
Local opposition, eventually forced the closure of Swansea Airport. Air Wales now operates from Cardiff International Airport.
Reach for the Sky, filmed by Undercurrents, has extensive coverage of Swansea Airport. It was premiered at Beyond TV International Film Festival 2004 and shown again this year at BeyondTV 2005. It is a must for all aviation campaigners. Undercurrents have now produced a useful booklet to accompany the film.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/11/301916.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328720.html
http://www.undercurrents.org/reachforthesky
Wisely Common in Surrey was seized. Surplus to MoD requirements, it was later earmarked for an airport. Activists, led by The Land is Ours, had other ideas and occupied the site. For the moment, Wisely Common is spared.
http://www.tlio.org.uk
Cove and Farnborough Commons have a rather different story. They were hijacked by the Army at the turn of the last century for pioneering flights by Sam Cody. Commoners still had use of the land.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/cody.htm
It was not until WWII, that the land was fenced off and the commoners were barred from exercising their ancient rights.
The site became home to the world famous RAE and equally famous biannual Farnborough Airshow (the world's biggest arms fair).
In the 1990s, the site became surplus to MoD requirements. What was left of the old RAE was renamed Qinetiq, and a controlling interest sold to the Carlyle Group.
The Carlyle Group (Bush family and associates/bin Laden family/Saudi Royal family), a private defence contractor, has done very well out of the illegal war with Iraq.
In 2000, TAG Aviation, against massive local opposition, was granted planning consent by the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor (as it is known locally) to operate a business airport at Farnborough.
Farnborough Airport is the business airport for Europe, a key component of globalisation. The customers who use Farnborough Airport are major global corporations.
All the local community wanted to see was the return of their common.
TAG Aviation is now back for more. In October 2005, they submitted a planning application to double the number of weekend flights. This is what their customers want, and TAG is in the business of giving their customers what they want. The Rotten Borough of Rushmoor is in the business of giving developers and big business what they want.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/327534.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328072.html
The Pod Report has a report on Farnborough Airport and its expansion plans
http://podreport.podomatic.com/
Theft of common land suggests a possible weapon in the armoury of aviation campaigners. Whereas few would have objected the seizure of common land during the dark days of WWII, we did expect the seized land to be handed back. When even the MoD admits that the land is surplus to requirements as at Fairwood Common, Wisely or Farnborough Common, we should be demanding that land back, either through direct action and occupation of the land as happened at Wisely Common, or by legal action through the High Court.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/lincolnshire
By the 1960s, many of these airfields, no longer used, were crumbling. There were though exceptions. RAF Waddington and RAF Conningsby are now front line bases. Waddington and Coningsby are home to strike aircraft, Waddington is home to around half a dozen AWACs.
Former RAF East Kirkby passed back to local farmers the Panton Brothers and they have restored it as a memorial to their brother and the many other flight crews who lost their lives in WWII.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/lincolnshire/lincs-aviation.htm
It was not though only farmers' lands that were seized, common land was also seized.
Greenham Common, in the 1980s was a site for Cruise Missiles, and a site of many protests, including a Peace Camp. Parts of Greenham Common has been handed back and restored as a common.
Fairwood Common in the Gower Peninsular was seized during WWII as an airbase for training fighter pilots. The Gower Peninsular in South Wales was the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to be designated.
The airbase was allowed to fall into rack and ruin, but not handed back to the commoners. Commoners were offered a derisory £50 to extinguish their common rights, but some like local farmer Ted Solomon refused to accept the paltry offer, and waive all their commoners rights.
A local business man, owner of Air Wales, bought the airfield on a long term lease intending to operate it as a holiday airport, and for fast connections to London.
The local council, bar one honourable councillor, in the face of strong local opposition and in the absence of an Environment Survey, approved the plans.
Local opposition, eventually forced the closure of Swansea Airport. Air Wales now operates from Cardiff International Airport.
Reach for the Sky, filmed by Undercurrents, has extensive coverage of Swansea Airport. It was premiered at Beyond TV International Film Festival 2004 and shown again this year at BeyondTV 2005. It is a must for all aviation campaigners. Undercurrents have now produced a useful booklet to accompany the film.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/11/301916.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328720.html
http://www.undercurrents.org/reachforthesky
Wisely Common in Surrey was seized. Surplus to MoD requirements, it was later earmarked for an airport. Activists, led by The Land is Ours, had other ideas and occupied the site. For the moment, Wisely Common is spared.
http://www.tlio.org.uk
Cove and Farnborough Commons have a rather different story. They were hijacked by the Army at the turn of the last century for pioneering flights by Sam Cody. Commoners still had use of the land.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/cody.htm
It was not until WWII, that the land was fenced off and the commoners were barred from exercising their ancient rights.
The site became home to the world famous RAE and equally famous biannual Farnborough Airshow (the world's biggest arms fair).
In the 1990s, the site became surplus to MoD requirements. What was left of the old RAE was renamed Qinetiq, and a controlling interest sold to the Carlyle Group.
The Carlyle Group (Bush family and associates/bin Laden family/Saudi Royal family), a private defence contractor, has done very well out of the illegal war with Iraq.
In 2000, TAG Aviation, against massive local opposition, was granted planning consent by the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor (as it is known locally) to operate a business airport at Farnborough.
Farnborough Airport is the business airport for Europe, a key component of globalisation. The customers who use Farnborough Airport are major global corporations.
All the local community wanted to see was the return of their common.
TAG Aviation is now back for more. In October 2005, they submitted a planning application to double the number of weekend flights. This is what their customers want, and TAG is in the business of giving their customers what they want. The Rotten Borough of Rushmoor is in the business of giving developers and big business what they want.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/327534.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328072.html
The Pod Report has a report on Farnborough Airport and its expansion plans
http://podreport.podomatic.com/
Theft of common land suggests a possible weapon in the armoury of aviation campaigners. Whereas few would have objected the seizure of common land during the dark days of WWII, we did expect the seized land to be handed back. When even the MoD admits that the land is surplus to requirements as at Fairwood Common, Wisely or Farnborough Common, we should be demanding that land back, either through direct action and occupation of the land as happened at Wisely Common, or by legal action through the High Court.
Keith Parkins
