BEFORE our local Labour Party's leadership gather up too many stones to throw at the Liberal-Democrats, perhaps they might be reminded that they, of all groups, are not entirely free of sin.
By complaining so loudly of Coun Scriven transferring land to St Lukes they expose themselves to some ridicule. Weren't Labour the party which presided, as very willing partners, in the City Airport debacle? What equivalent sin has Coun Scriven committed?
He proposes helping a worthy cause, whereas the transfer of 80 acres of land, by Labour, to a multi-billion pound property company for a nominal £1 merely added to the developer's profits.
Let us also not forget that as a part of the proposals to re-develop the new Airport the developers promised, from its remains, a Heliport. This, they declared: 'reflected changes in the airport's usage which had seen six helicopters based at the airport'. The illusion of continuing air-links was reinforced by Nigel Tomlinson, the Chief Executive of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce who was reported as saying: "I am encouraged by the prospect of helicopter connections from Sheffield. For Sheffield to be linked to major international airports would be a godsend."
Clearly, people were being actively encouraged to believe that the city would still have some residual connectivity with the air-map, even after the act of vandalism to a modern facility.
Further re-inforcement to the illusion came in a statement made by the then city council's Executive Director of Development, Environment and Leisure, John Mothersole, whom we recently learned had been charged by the Airport Joint Liaison Committee with winning 'hearts and minds'.
He declared: "Clearly scheduled flights have gone but we are very supportive…we are working very closely with the airport and pushing them hard to ensure the helicopter services are put in place that will prove to be an asset to business in Sheffield."
With general aviation now being forced out, exactly where is our much-heralded Heliport?
The CAA licence has been allowed to lapse so all we actually have is a private helipad used by South Yorkshire Police and whose other regular user is, 'owing to costs', planning to relocate to Leeds/Bradford Airport.
With no airport, no heliport and with the unenviable reputation of being the only city in Europe to close an airport, what exactly has been achieved for a £1?
Well, my city will gain some additions to its rapidly increasing stock of unlet business units and some very wealthy developer's balance sheets will look even healthier.
Worryingly, the developers will have no incentive to build up the heliport and, doubtless, will be plotting to have the land re-designated so that eventually yet more serried ranks of units might be built. This will be yet another example to add to the extensive list of broken promises which have built up in relation to the airport since August 2001.
If I was about to cast a few more stones in Paul Scriven's direction I think I might consider quickly returning them back to the quarry whence they came.
Stewart Dalton, Westland Gardens, SheffieldREAD MOREMain news indexYour letters.
FeaturesMore business newsMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsMore Barnsley newsThe full article contains 547 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
