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Post by pug on Feb 25, 2023 19:36:15 GMT
One things certain - the local authorities are on the back foot in this saga. They have to make a compelling case for CPO and that is going to be hard, costly and time consuming. Can they line-up an airport operator/buyer in anticipation of success? No - not likely without terms being known and a public sector tendering process. Interest the Mayor talks about in buying can only be just that and DMBC could end up being the owner of the land with no immediate prospect of selling or leasing. They would be in a market in which prospective airport buyers would have the advantage. A risky venture with public money. Problem is, Ros Jones claims she has unanimous support and a clear mandate to do this. With the commercial/legal sensitivity surrounding this, and the reluctance to reveal detail, the tax payers are not being afforded all the information and they must therefore trust the council to make the right call. This really might conversely make DMBC/SYMCA or whichever public sector organisation is involved in this, susceptible to Judicial Review. The limited DMBC documents available to the public so far outline how they believe the airport can be a success ‘under the right ownership’, but have not cited any independent analysis/input which brings them to such a conclusion. On face value, with the information we have at the moment, their case is wafer thin at best. Peel owned it for many years, it has been an operating airport for 17 years, airlines have received significant subsidy to enter into long term agreements with DSAL to service the airport and only two airline managed to justify operating from there in the longer term. Consultative committee minutes highlight that DSA would need 2.5-3 million passengers per year using the airport to break even, but that there were constant increasing pressures from various areas (including growing Government initiatives relating to carbon emissions) which means that operating costs were likely to increase yet further, and continued capital investment would have been necessary. In conclusion, the airport is a basket case. Anyone wishing to operate it will need significant financial backing and may need to reduce service levels significantly just to tread water. If there is insufficient airline buy in - they would need to attract airlines away from competitor airports, which Peel have been unable to do in spite of attractive financial support packages on offer - then there really is no wider benefit to the region by maintaining a struggling airport that will always be running on the brink of closure. As Peel have said when they refused the £13million support package, it would only delay the inevitable.
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Post by flyer on Feb 26, 2023 8:22:26 GMT
Yes, a basket case. The case made by Peel over 9 months ago that they've spent a lot of money, time and energy to make DSA a success and it's simply not viable to continue aviation activity has not been challenged by any independent analysis. The Mayor's approach is being driven by a belief that DSA "could and should" (her words) be a success. There has been no evidence produced to support her assertion that it would prosper under different ownership or indeed that the interest in ownership she talks about has any real substance that will stick around for 2 years. IF CPO succeeds DMBC will be the proud owners of an airfield and adjacent land - that's all. Then another long journey starts to make it into a commercial airport. It really is a risky venture with public money and time in the light of the history of DSA.
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Post by pug on Mar 3, 2023 16:48:21 GMT
Apparently a helicopter carrying Robert Whittaker visited DSA this afternoon. I doubt such a visit would be made routinely so I suspect there is some significance to this visit one way or another… Perhaps meeting with the supposed interested investor? Or to meet with DMBC. Or simply just regarding another development in the area.
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Post by flyer on Mar 4, 2023 15:28:50 GMT
Apparently a helicopter carrying Robert Whittaker visited DSA this afternoon. I doubt such a visit would be made routinely so I suspect there is some significance to this visit one way or another… Perhaps meeting with the supposed interested investor? Or to meet with DMBC. Or simply just regarding another development in the area. According to DSAmole on pprune it was a short meeting with a reclamation company (is that a euphemism for demolition??) And a lawyer.
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Post by pug on Mar 4, 2023 16:17:50 GMT
Apparently a helicopter carrying Robert Whittaker visited DSA this afternoon. I doubt such a visit would be made routinely so I suspect there is some significance to this visit one way or another… Perhaps meeting with the supposed interested investor? Or to meet with DMBC. Or simply just regarding another development in the area. According to DSAmole on pprune it was a short meeting with a reclamation company (is that a euphemism for demolition??) And a lawyer. Open to interpretation, perhaps intentionally? Can’t see why John Whittaker himself had to be there in this case? Meeting a lawyer to confirm he is ok to bulldoze the terminal? Someone on one of the Facebook pages said she had asked some workmen what they were doing yesterday as they were putting some contractor signs up, they just said building houses….
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Post by flyer on Mar 4, 2023 17:53:07 GMT
According to DSAmole on pprune it was a short meeting with a reclamation company (is that a euphemism for demolition??) And a lawyer. Open to interpretation, perhaps intentionally? Can’t see why John Whittaker himself had to be there in this case? Meeting a lawyer to confirm he is ok to bulldoze the terminal? Someone on one of the Facebook pages said she had asked some workmen what they were doing yesterday as they were putting some contractor signs up, they just said building houses…. Land reclamation companies specialise in reverting land to its original state according to the Internet. Whatever, it was a significant visit as you said
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Post by pug on Mar 4, 2023 18:50:26 GMT
Open to interpretation, perhaps intentionally? Can’t see why John Whittaker himself had to be there in this case? Meeting a lawyer to confirm he is ok to bulldoze the terminal? Someone on one of the Facebook pages said she had asked some workmen what they were doing yesterday as they were putting some contractor signs up, they just said building houses…. Land reclamation companies specialise in reverting land to its original state according to the Internet. Whatever, it was a significant visit as you said Don’t they also return properties owed? On the context of this, return the leasehold of DSA Ltd back to Peel Holdings?
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Post by flyer on Mar 4, 2023 20:41:07 GMT
Land reclamation companies specialise in reverting land to its original state according to the Internet. Whatever, it was a significant visit as you said Don’t they also return properties owed? On the context of this, return the leasehold of DSA Ltd back to Peel Holdings? I really don't know but it does fit what's known - DSA Ltd is to be wound up and Peel Holdings will take over the site.
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Post by pug on Mar 7, 2023 13:34:33 GMT
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Post by flyer on Mar 7, 2023 14:30:21 GMT
So what was all the "talks continuing" and lots of interest stuff over the last 3 months about?? Only one bid that looked as though it might be worthwhile for Peel to engage with and the bidder couldn't /wouldn't say who was involved and where the money would come from. Campaigners must surely feel misled. Whilst DMBC are now saying they think investors will wait until CPO they have not been straightforward in relaying the information that talks had ended and no new ones had started.They must have known.
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Post by pug on Mar 7, 2023 16:06:42 GMT
So what was all the "talks continuing" and lots of interest stuff over the last 3 months about?? Only one bid that looked as though it might be worthwhile for Peel to engage with and the bidder couldn't /wouldn't say who was involved and where the money would come from. Campaigners must surely feel misled. Whilst DMBC are now saying they think investors will wait until CPO they have not been straightforward in relaying the information that talks had ended and no new ones had started.They must have known. MC of SaveDSA has completely refuted the statement alluding to Peel lies. He’s claimed he’s ’spoken with the UAE’ himself, and also cited evidence from meetings to the contrary. What he perhaps hasn’t realised is that the meetings he’s cited occurred in November, which tallies up exactly with the statement by Peel spokesperson.
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Post by flyer on Mar 7, 2023 16:33:29 GMT
MC of SaveDSA has completely refuted the statement alluding to Peel lies. He’s claimed he’s ’spoken with the UAE’ himself, and also cited evidence from meetings to the contrary. What he perhaps hasn’t realised is that the meetings he’s cited occurred in November, which tallies up exactly with the statement by Peel spokesperson. Yes, talks aborted November in his and Peels account. Yorkshire Post is now being added as a participant in a vast conspiracy against DSA by some posters on that group. As for UAE reps. talking to the MC of the group if true, (and it is possible), it shows what an un-professional outfit they must have been- - it ties in with their inability to say who they were or where the money was coming from.
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Post by pug on Mar 7, 2023 21:04:30 GMT
MC of SaveDSA has completely refuted the statement alluding to Peel lies. He’s claimed he’s ’spoken with the UAE’ himself, and also cited evidence from meetings to the contrary. What he perhaps hasn’t realised is that the meetings he’s cited occurred in November, which tallies up exactly with the statement by Peel spokesperson. Yes, talks aborted November in his and Peels account. Yorkshire Post is now being added as a participant in a vast conspiracy against DSA by some posters on that group. As for UAE reps. talking to the MC of the group if true, (and it is possible), it shows what an un-professional outfit they must have been- - it ties in with their inability to say who they were or where the money was coming from. I don’t believe him, least that he’s not spoken with them in any serious capacity. He may have emailed them as is the MO on that page it seems. I think more than anything he’s trying to save face. CPO or bust, and I think the CPO will fail at the initial stages. Peel will be at a loose end now, appreciate that they are ruthless, but they’re stuck with acres of land that they will have to find something to do with. Every man has his price, they will sell if someone credible offered enough cash. Who in their right mind would buy it to run as an airport though?
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Post by pug on Mar 13, 2023 13:09:16 GMT
There was a pending joint statement alluded to last week by Nick Fletcher, seems strange that this has not been forthcoming yet.
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Post by flyer on Mar 13, 2023 13:55:30 GMT
There was a pending joint statement alluded to last week by Nick Fletcher, seems strange that this has not been forthcoming yet. Maybe waiting for it to be written-up and agreed by the 3 MPs and Mayors. Whatever it says I'm sure certain characters on certain social media sites will spin it as hopeful! I understand CPO procedure requires extensive notification to all who may have an interest incluďing press notices, signs at the site etc. A very public, transparent process. Nothing about that so far so we really are talking of a very long journey for the Council IF it goes ahead.
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