Ipswich Airport
Encyclopedia
Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich
, Suffolk
England
.
in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was officially opened by H.R.H. Prince Edward
on 26 June 1930, who described the facility as "one of the finest in the country".
The terminal building was designed by Hening and Chitty in 1938 and Grade 2 listed in 1996; The building has been described as "very rare and early example of this type of construction."
The airport, over its functional lifetime, offered scheduled flights to Clacton
, Southend
and Jersey
by Channel Airways
and later to Amsterdam
, Manchester
by Suckling Airways. A number of chartered flights were operated by air taxi
firm, Hawk Air.
From its earliest days, the airport was home to a wide variety of privately owned and flying club
operated aircraft. Aircraft maintenance services were provided in the 1930-built hangar by a succession of based aviation engineering firms.
The airfield was delicensed and ceased to be registered by the Civil Aviation Authority on 31 December 1996. Not through lack of use, nor through public pressure; following the announcement of intention to close by Ipswich Borough Council in late September 1996, there were petitions to keep the site as an operating airport, this culminated with a sit-in
which started on 1 January 1997; the last aircraft left over a year later in January 1998
The site has since been redeveloped as the Ravenswood housing estate
; the Grade II listed terminal building was retained and has been converted into a community centre and flats
by Ashwell Property Group. Externally the building retains the same style and layout and feel of the original building.
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The site of Ravens Wood 147 acres (59.5 ha) was purchased by the Ipswich CorporationIpswich Corporation
The Ipswich Corporation was a municipal corporation that owned property and government to town. The corporation kept highly details accounts of their operation, a great deal of which survives to this day...
in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was officially opened by H.R.H. Prince Edward
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
on 26 June 1930, who described the facility as "one of the finest in the country".
The terminal building was designed by Hening and Chitty in 1938 and Grade 2 listed in 1996; The building has been described as "very rare and early example of this type of construction."
The airport, over its functional lifetime, offered scheduled flights to Clacton
Clacton Airport
Clacton Airport is located west of the pier at Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England.Clacton Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee . The aerodrome is not licensed for night use...
, Southend
London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport or Southend Airport is a regional airport in the district of Rochford within Essex, England.During the 1960s, Southend was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It remained London's third-busiest airport in terms of passengers handled until the end of the 1970s,...
and Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
by Channel Airways
Channel Airways
Channel Airways was a private airline formed in the United Kingdom in 1946 as East Anglian Flying Services.The newly formed airline initially operated aerial joy rides with a single, three-seater aircraft from an airstrip on the Kent coast...
and later to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
by Suckling Airways. A number of chartered flights were operated by air taxi
Air charter
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...
firm, Hawk Air.
From its earliest days, the airport was home to a wide variety of privately owned and flying club
Flying club
A flying club or aero club is a not for profit, member run organization that provides its members with affordable access to aircraft.Many clubs also provide flight training, flight planning facilities, pilot supplies and associated services, as well as organizing social functions, fly-ins and...
operated aircraft. Aircraft maintenance services were provided in the 1930-built hangar by a succession of based aviation engineering firms.
Closure
The council, who owned the site, commissioned a development report in 1990 for the site. On the basis of its findings which determined better use of the site for development the Council decided to close the airfield in 1993. This announcement signalled the start of the campaigns to keep the airport operating as such, and it was thought the airport had been saved when the council allowed businesses to stay in operation with rolling leases, and projects to upgrade the air traffic control systems in September 1996.The airfield was delicensed and ceased to be registered by the Civil Aviation Authority on 31 December 1996. Not through lack of use, nor through public pressure; following the announcement of intention to close by Ipswich Borough Council in late September 1996, there were petitions to keep the site as an operating airport, this culminated with a sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
which started on 1 January 1997; the last aircraft left over a year later in January 1998
The site has since been redeveloped as the Ravenswood housing estate
Ravenswood, Ipswich
Ravenswood is a district within Ipswich, Suffolk, UK. It is sited on the old Ipswich Airport to the south-east of the town.The area is one experiencing rapid growth in housing numbers from private housing developers...
; the Grade II listed terminal building was retained and has been converted into a community centre and flats
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
by Ashwell Property Group. Externally the building retains the same style and layout and feel of the original building.
External links
- Ipswich Airport Association
- Ipswich Transport Museum
- Risky Buildings