Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Old Pilot
#1421194
With Grant Shapps gone it looks like the end of Panshanger?http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34952981
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By Old Pilot
#1421198
Agreed but there is no justification for not developing the airfield

Been there and done it.

Houses make more money than a few aircraft flying in for a coffee on a nice spring morning.
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By Gertie
#1421221
The owner of a piece of land is free to run it as an airfield if they want to, even it it's a housing site in the local plan - in theory there's a risk of CPO but in practice that pretty well never happens (and indeed if the owner says "I have no intention of stopping running this as an airfield within the local plan period" then it's unlikely to be designated for housing in the first place, as these designations are supposed to have evidence of deliverability).

Unless, of course, the owner is a company answerable to shareholders, in which case, should the shareholders wish to enforce this (which they might not in some cases, eg a family company) the directors have a duty to maximise shareholder value, and they might fail to convince shareholders that running an airfield for a profit of 47p (in a good year) gets better value from the land than selling it for housing for £1bn and sticking the proceeds in the bank, even at today's interest rates.
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By Ian Flyer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1433602
The way that a piece of land ends up in a Local Plan is that the landowner responds to the council enquiry, saying that they are willing to sell the land for development.

The council will then, with little or no investigation into its suitability, include the land in the Local Plan as land for new houses.

The Local Plan will then be subject to local consultation (in the case of our council, with minimum effort by the council to tell the public that they are being consulted).

If the council don't produce a Local Plan by a deadline, then central government will do it - and will basically say that everything can be built on.

Once a site is included in a Local Plan, it will be assumed to have Outline Planning permission.

So much for "localism" eh? Remember that, Call me Dave?
By Johnny
#1433878
Dave, you may be correct in Bolivia but not in this country. Land is allocated for development after exhaustive research and consultation. Central Government rarely get involved in Plan preparation, if they do the same rigorous tests are applied.
By skydiver548
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1433914
Panshanger still only has planning permission to be an airfield...and in an emergency it'll suffice although grass a tad long.

To cut a very long story short the land owners Mariposa want to build on it and submitted to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council that 700 houses could be built there. They did not renew the lease for the flying school so the had to leave Sept 2014. They then said existing buildings are dangerous and should be demolished although this was withdrawn later.

The council has to build a huge amount of housing around 10000 homes so they jumped at the chance of a "bonus" 700 on the airfield and included it in their preferred sites.. since then many other landowners have come forward, including one proposal for a new village in greenfield which would cater for 1,200 homes.

So the land owners Mariposa, "done deal" isn't looking as good
. Which may be why they are putting an option forward to move the runway 50m north and only build 500 houses
By Johnny
#1433921
Panshanger does look suitable for development and as you say would go a long way to provide much needed housing. I'm not convinced the land owners are helping their cause by knocking buildings down.

From the Local Plan:
Aviation
6.52 There is one remaining active airfield in the district at Panshanger, which was formerly a military airfield but was granted planning permission as a civil airfield in 1954 for use by light aircraft. Since then the Panshanger residential area has been developed and now borders the airfield. The airfield is identified in the Plan as an area of special restraint and has been since 1993. This means that it has been safeguarded for potential future development needs in the district beyond the period of this Plan. As such its release for development will be a matter for consideration in a future review of the Plan.
6.53 Meanwhile, there are increasing concerns about the effect of aircraft noise from the airfield on residents in Panshanger and surrounding villages. The Council will therefore continue to monitor its use to ensure that it is being operated within the terms of its planning permission and within acceptable noise levels on the ground. However, the Council cannot act against aircraft in flight. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates controlled airspace, uncontrolled air space being regulated by the Air Navigation Order and other national and international regulations. The CAA, based on aviation safety criteria, licenses the airfield and does not have responsibility for environmental issues. The Council will not permit any expansion of facilities
Welwyn Hatfield District Plan – to be adopted 2005 District-wide policies
73
or intensification of the use of the airfield beyond the limits of the existing planning permission.
Policy M15 - Panshanger Airfield
The Council will monitor the use of Panshanger Airfield and will not permit any expansion of its facilities nor its use for flying activities beyond that allowed by its existing planning permission.
Welwyn Hatfield District Plan – to be adopted 2005 District-wide policies
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By Sooty25
#1472384
assuming the landowner will allow it to be used as an airfield again. They might just say stuff that and wait a couple of years and try to get planning for houses again citing nobody wanted to rent it as an airfield.

Again, it needs the aviation community to come together and try to purchase the site to protect it. 55 acres assuming the field to the north isn't a part of it.

However, it is good that it now has council support even if the word "potentially" keeps appearing!
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By kanga
#1472385
Visitors to JAM today, couple from Herts both with aviation background, told me that local rumour had it that aspirant developer's geological survey of site suggested that part of site would be unsuitable for housing .. :thumright:
Derryn liked this
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By ChampChump
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1472500
...especially if aeroplanes land on it...











I'll get my summer coat.