Status of UK Aerodromes Under Threat
The following list was produced by John Walker of AOPA UK and was up to date as of late May.
Andrewsfield (pictured left): Braintree, Colchester and Tendring Councils are cooperating in developing a Local Plan for north-east Essex and have identified Andrewsfield airfield as one of four sites for potential housing in a new garden city with 10,000 homes. Extensive public consultation on draft Plan is expected to start in June 2016.
Bourn: Site earmarked for 3,200 homes in current draft Local Plan by South Cambridgeshire District Council. The draft Plan will be the subject of further examination by a Planning Inspector in June 2016. Current site leases expire early this year. Planning consent recently given for outside storage of shipping containers, plant etc. on most useable runway.
Deenethorpe: The latest Joint Core Strategy for north Northamptonshire has identified Deenethorpe Airfield as a potential exceptional opportunity for development as an exemplar garden village with around 1,250 homes. The Brudenhall Estate, the site owner, who have supported the development, now need to produce a master plan for the site in accordance with the Core Strategy, for approval.
Dunsfold: Site owner submitted plans to Waverley Borough Council for mixed development with 1,800 homes on site which area is in planning Core Strategy for employment purposes. The Council expects to submit final draft Local Plan for examination in November 2016. (Note this aerodrome is well-known as home to the BBC’s Top Gear track, and it is not home to any flight training organisations).
Halfpenny Green (Wolverhampton Business Airport): Bobbington Estates has sold the aerodrome to MCR Property Group, an investment and development company focused on commercial and residential real estate resulting in much speculation about the future of the site.
Kemble: Commercial Estates Group’s (CEG) plan proposes to build a 2,000-home sustainable village on this ‘brownfield’ site as an alternative to the draft Local Plan proposal for a greenfield site near Cirencester. Full Planning Inquiry into the draft Cotswold District Council Local Plan and alternatives to it scheduled for late 2016.
Long Marston: Planning permission for 400 homes on site granted in November 2015. Airfield is in Stratford-upon-Avon planning Core Strategy for housing with up to 2,100 homes by 2031. Developer is Cala Homes in conjunction with site owner. Refer to entry for Wellesbourne, below.
Manston: Thanet District Council having rejected proposal for a CPO of site with River Oak who wish to retain the aerodrome, now have three other potential CPO indemnity partners which the Council’s Cabinet are considering. River Oak has given notice of intent to apply for a Development Consent Order for the aerodrome as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. The current site owners have proposed a mixed use development with land earmarked as a Spitfire Park allowing occasional landings by Spitfire aircraft in conjunction with existing museums.
MoD Sites: RAF Hullavington airfield, the former RAF Wethersfield and RAF Wyton airfield (see below) now being disposed of by MoD along with sites currently occupied by USAF at Alconbury, Molesworth and Mildenhall. Further airfield sites expected to be declared as surplus resulting from the current review of the MoD estate which is due to be completed in September 2016.
Nottingham City (Tollerton): With the support of the land owner, site earmarked for up to 4,000 homes in Local Plan Core Strategy adopted by Rushcliffe Borough Council after approval from Planning Inspector.
Old Sarum: Site owner’s proposal for housing development and 10 additional hangars amongst other work, objected to by various parties as detrimental to the sites heritage and potentially limiting use of the airfield. Planning application due to be determined by Wiltshire Council on 9 October 2015 but decision has been delayed several times since then.
Panshanger: Site earmarked for housing in draft Local Plan by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council with final draft Plan open for public consultation in July 2016 and Planning Inquiry to be held in early 2017. Recent proposed site development plans include 3 different scenarios for a new runway to the north, south or across the previous runway 11/29.
Plymouth: Central Government have commissioned a study into viability of reopening the airfield with a report now due in early 2016. FlyPlymouth, a local social enterprise aerodrome support group, plans to reopen the airfield by 2017 and start regional airliner services by 2018. Sutton Harbour Holdings, the site lease holder, have proposed a mixed use development of the site although the current draft Local Plan retains the site for aviation. The Plymouth City Council Local Plan will be the subject of a Planning Inquiry in July 2016. The next FlyPlymouth public meeting will be held on 28th June at the Future Inn.
Rochester: Judicial Review into Medway Council approval of hard runway, 3 new hangars and new control tower postponed from November 2015 as Consent Order issued for Council to review decision at a special meeting to be held shortly. Enterprise Zone status granted for commercial part of the proposed site development.
Wellesbourne Mountford: Gladman Developments in conjunction with the owner have proposed a housing development with 1,600 homes on the site although the Stratford-on-Avon draft Local Plan has earmarked Long Marston airfield as a preferred housing development site. After Local Plan Core Strategy hearings held by a Planning Inspector, the latest version of the Plan issued for consultation states that “The aviation related functions at Wellesbourne Airfield will have been retained and enhanced”. Tenants notified by owner that flying activities will cease on 24 December 2016. The District Council has agreed to fund a feasibility appraisal of the site to try and secure the future viability of the airfield for local businesses.
Wycombe Air Park: Site lease holder (Helicopter Aircraft Holdings Ltd), after prolonged discussions with the land owner (Wycombe District Council), has agreed a new lease. The draft Local Plan provides for an industrial/warehousing complex on the south-eastern part of the site, potentially resulting in loss of a runway and cessation of gliding activities. The Council expects to submit a final plan after public consultation to the Planning Inspector by January 2017.
RAF Wyton: Airfield site being disposed of – Defence Infrastructure Organisation and local property developer Crest Nicholson proposal for 3,750 homes on site. Site earmarked in draft Huntingdonshire District Council Local Plan for mixed use development including housing.
