St Erth says no to heliport plans

“Assuming Cornwall Council had wanted them to survive, the best thing that could have happened to BIH would have been for them to stay in Eastern Green. It is the supreme location from a marketing point of view. Sat at the heart of a rail, road and marine transport hub, visible to the casual tripper and able to deliver Scillonians into the centre of Penzance to allow them to conduct their business in a day they were unassailable despite a ticket price that is 20% higher than the Skybus.

There is no where else on the Planet where fixed wing and helicopters compete over the same routes. The cost dynamics are so heavily stacked against these expensive machines that they cannot survive. A move away from their present home to a site that doesn't duplicate their current Unique Selling Points looks sure to signal their demise.

What should have happened over two years ago when they made the first announcement of the sale of the heliport, is that the Council, who were able to fund the take over of Newquay Airport, should have stepped in, bought it and leased it back. It would have been a low risk strategy and surely finacially more worthwhile than the sums they are proposing to invest in County Hall and the Truro Stadium.

The truth is that this service is barely [or not] profitable so if it had to close in a few years time the County would have owned a valuable sellable asset so there would have been little taxpayer risk. But it won't happen now. Very sad."”

“No-one in their right mind would want a heliport anywhere near their house. Helicopters are noisier than planes and generally carry fewer passengers. The only logical place for a heliport serving the Scilles is on a headland off the west coast, where there is no need to fly over land.”

“Well done St Erth Parish Council and villagers, everything must be done to stop this ridiculous idea of putting an "airport" in the middle of a village especially when there is a perfectly positioned, fully operational Cornwall Council owned airport in existence in the county.”

“I have family living in St Erth. To amuse the children they obtained three chicks to keep the rabbit, Dennis, company. Within weeks they had to get rid of the young cockrel as the neighbours complained about it crowing in the morning and they were threatened with action.
Have you heard the noise the helicopter makes? If the helicopter goes to St Erth can we expect legal action to prevent the noise? Or should it be prevented before the event as common sense would suggest!”

“Who sold them the land? St Aubyn Estates? Is it correct that part of the deal is that the estate has put a covenant in place to stop the aircraft flying over The Mount - hence the need to go down the A30, over the most populated area.”