Bid for Cotswold quarry at former airfield.
Concerns for aircraft travelling to RAF Fairford
New plans to create a sand and gravel quarry at a former Cotswold airfield, have sparked concerns from the Ministry of Defence as they feel it could endanger aircraft travelling to and from RAF Fairford.
Hills Quarry Products Ltd wants permission from Gloucestershire County Council to redevelop the former airfield in Down Ampney.
Their plans for the former RAF Down Ampney Airfield and surrounding areas in New Road, Down Ampney are due to be considered by the planning committee on September 28.
Its thought that they want to extract around 6.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel over 13 years in nine phases based on an average of 510,000 tonnes per annum from an extraction area of 440 acres and implement a phased restoration scheme using imported infill.
Shire Hall officers have recommended approving the scheme subject to a prior agreement to secure the implementation of a wildlife hazard management to allay MOD concerns regarding the site’s proximity to RAF Fairford with a concern over bird strikes.
“The potential hazard is exacerbated by the proximity of the application site to several lakes within the area, and to RAF Fairford.
“The applicant has acknowledged that aircraft passing close to the application site, approaching, or departing RAF Fairford, are likely to be at altitudes of less than 1,000ft above ground level and would be within the range of altitudes where 90% of birdstrike events take place.”
If approved, it will also use 41.5 acres for a water and silt management area and include 143.8 acres of existing woodland, proposed initial woodland planting, retained areas of former runway, site access, offices and weighbridge areas and site margin.