Abstract
Greenham Common was a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located in Berkshire, England. This paper provides a background of Greenham Common from the periods of World War II to the end of the cold war. It shows how the location of the airfield was a disadvantage despite the advantages that it offered. This is related to the case of 1960s when there was a need of a new airport in the UK. There were different locations that were suggested, but through the Roskill Commission they were later reduced to only four. Then the key question is what Greenham Common could have contributed to such a strategy.
Background to Greenham Common
Greenham Common also termed as RAF Greenham Common was a former Royal Air Force station located in Berkshire, England. This station was opened in 1942 by the United States Air Forces. It was heavily used during World War II. This was later closed in 1993 after the end of the cold war. The station was a piece of common land that was owned and supposed to be used as airfield by the Ministry of Defence (Rodgers, 24). It had three converging runways with each of them having takeoff and landing runways. The station was used for security purposes especially in 1943 under the USAAF use. Later the camp was used as a peace camp by women.
Women from different corners of UK came in the camp during the 80s and 90s to resist nuclear weapons in the world. This disrupted the activities of the USAAF. Although some women were captured with some being taken to prison during that time, the women were eventually successful in the fight against nuclear weapons. The U.S. and USSR came into terms, and the missiles in the station were taken back to the United States (Association of British Chambers of Commerce, 34). The location of the station had many disadvantages particularly to the people in the surrounding area. One of this is that the health of the people was devastating as they were exploited heavily. This was a health land of about one thousand acres that was grabbed from the commoners. This was, however, later a strategic place for business as all the businesses located there were hugely successful. They campaigned until this returned to be a common land. Campaigns were, therefore, crucial in returning the common land that had been misused for many years.
The UK Airport Strategy
Expansion of airports in the UK has been an issue of government’s interest since the 1940s. The government used the Roskill Commission between 1968 and 1971 to get the best location of a new airport. The commission used an approach termed as the cost-benefit analysis as discussed below.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
When the Roskill Commission begun its work in 1968, there were 78 options that had been provided. The commission, therefore, began by whittling down the options to four mainly; Foulness, Stansted, Cublington, and Nuthampstead. The commission adopted a cost-benefit analysis that was aimed at removing all the subjectivity from the …