New hangars for Solent Airport, Daedalus, as 100-year-old buildings crumble into dangerous state
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They said they would rather take the risk of falling debris damaging their planes than them rusting in the sea air.
It comes as Fareham Borough Council’s executive agreed to replace the ageing plane storage hangars at Solent Airport with 12 new PVC units that are predicted to last 11 years each.
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The concrete hangars at Daedalus were built over 100 years ago but are now unsafe and “beyond their useful life”, members of Fareham Borough Council’s executive meeting were told.
Council leader Councillor Simon Martin said it would be negligent of the council to allow people to keep their planes there and they had been forced to decommission Bellman 4 as lumps of metal fell off the roof.
Despite that, pilots storing their small classic planes there said they were happy to take the risk and want to sign a waiver to continue doing so.
Speaking at the meeting Dr Gareth Owenson, a pilot who keeps his classic aircraft in Bellman 4, said there was more danger to his plane from rust by keeping it outside in damp sea air than from falling debris. Any damage from falling debris is covered by insurance while the damage from rust is not. Protecting his plane against corrosion could cost in the region of £7,000.
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Hide AdCouncillor Martin said pilots were told Bellman 4 needed to be decommissioned with immediate effect and were given three months to find alternative storage. He added it was too expensive to rebuild concrete hangars.
A council report said the new hangars will be put on a concrete apron between Bellman 1 and Bellman 4 hangars. There would be no electricity or water to the but there would be a toilet nearby.
The project is estimated to cost £390,000 and will be paid for through borrowing. Building will be phased to allow for a fluctuation in demand and manage spending and costs.
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Hide AdThe officer’s report said phase one in 2025/26 will cost £16,500, the next stage costing £262,307 will be during 2025/26 and phase three costing £109,560 in 2026/27.
The report said phase one will be 100 per cent occupied as demand is greater than supply with a waiting list of pilots looking for aeroplane storage. Phase two would be 90 per cent occupied and phase three 75 per cent occupied.
The PVC hangars will be manufactured in Hampshire with parts sourced in Britain.
Steel used will be from Southampton and the West Midlands, aluminium from West Sussex, and the PVC sheeting is from Wiltshire, the meeting heard.
The project will now seek planning permission.
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