Our own hut - Now complete!

AT LONG LAST!

Everything moved in and the hut is now operational! The new HQ was officially opened in January 2007. Photos below

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AUGUST 06

Hut is ready! Now we're moving everything in, and waiting for furniture from the stores (and staff's garages) to arrive!

JULY 06

Workmen still working on the final arrangements for the water and electricity, photos of which you can see below.

 

APRIL 06

The diggers are back! This time, they're more interested in putting things INTO the ground than taking them out! See photos below. Electricity and water are on their way!

 

MARCH 06

Roof is on! Now just waiting for electricity and water... nearly there!

 

FEB 06

Roof is prepared to be built.

 

FEB 06

Up close and personal with the new hut!

It's arrived! Now we need some electricity, a telephone line, and a group of hard-working cadets to get in there and start work in their very own hut!

 

NOV 05

   

The site for the hut was marked out between Thursday 17th and Monday 21st. The diggers turned up on the 22nd. So if the predictions are correct it will be 2-3 months and we’ll be in!!

 

JUL 05

Well, it’s been 14 months since the last entry.

There was a meeting in November last year between the council, RFCA, Diocese and ATC, to sort out the restrictions of use conditions set by the council on approval of the application. This sorted, the next stage of getting the lease with the Diocese finalised was entered. GOOD NEWS ... this was accomplished after much toing and froing between solicitors, late in July 05.

We have been given a prospective date of being in our own hut next Easter. All I will say to the cadets, staff and civ comm, keep an eye on the church car park and wait for the diggers to turn up.

I will keep this updated as and when we get news of more progress. It is my hope that it is a somewhat smoother journey from here on in. Many of the staff and committee will eventually find out what it is like to have houses to ourselves and not with squadron property taking up garages, lofts, spare rooms and any nook/cranny.

 

MAY 04

On May 19th the planning application was permitted. Although this is not the final hurdle, we have got past a major step with respect to the squadron getting its own premises. We are still hopeful that this will be by the Autumn of this year.

 

FEB/MAR 04

A meeting took place between representatives of RFCA and the Council to try and sort out the problems encountered on the original application. This was successful and the new application was submitted at the end of March

 

DEC 03

Unfortunately the application was denied on some technicalities.

 

NOV 03

    The planning application is in!! Here's hoping for its speedy progress through the necessary channels!

 

06 OCT 03 

    The archaeological survey was carried out in late July, and submitted to RFCA.  Apparently there were some points of interest which RFCA needed to refer to the Council about.  They did this and were not significant enough to prevent the planning permission being made.

    The planning permission was, to the best of our knowledge, submitted in the last week. This now means we are in an 8/10 week minimum waiting period, while it is considered and the relevant stages gone through.

    Once planning permission has been granted, (probably early next year - any sooner and it is a bonus) the next step is for RFCA to agree the lease with the Diocese, which could take up to 6 months.

 

05 JULY 03

    No one currently on the squadron has been there since 1993 when squadron status was gained.  The one big advantage of being a squadron is being able to have your own dedicated premises.  However the road to a hut is not an easy one and requires much work by the Civilian Committee (and others).

    The squadron since its formation in 1993 has been wanting its own hut. The biggest stumbling block is/was finding a suitable plot of land in Stanford or Corringham. This was secured after much hard work by the late Wing Commander Hinder OBE RAFVR(T) retd and our padre. The hut will be situated, failing a major disaster, on part of the grass area used as the car park for St. Margaret's Church.

    The progress on this matter is not a quick one as leasing contracts and all manner of applications and permissions need to be discussed and finalised, which all take time.

    However, before we can start on the actual building process, The Church said an archaeological dig must take place to record any historical information under the ground of the proposed site. Once this is complete, formal planning applications need to made to the council. This will be the next biggest hurdle.

    But we can't wait! It will really help the squadron establish it's own identity in the community.  On a more local level it will allow us to leave things such as project work out instead of the trying to fit it into cupboards, dedicated classrooms, display areas for all manner of training posters and pictures, office facilities for the CO and staff, a small kitchen area and a stores for uniform and all other manner of squadron equipment currently stored in various staff and CWC member's homes. The latter will be of great relief to those it affects getting back lofts, sheds, garages, rooms and cupboards for their own
use.

    The Thursday just past, we had some good news. The archaeological dig is to start next Monday (07 JULY)! This is the first stage with something visible to us getting our own hut, and operating independently!  However the CO will not be getting overly excited until he sees a hole in the ground.

    Being on the church grounds is an added bonus for the squadron Padre, who will still only need to jump out of his front door to spend the evening with us!