Old Sarum Airfield housing plans thrown out by Wiltshire Council
The site's owners say they're 'extremely disappointed' by the decision
Plans to build over 300 homes on Old Sarum Airfield have been refused by Wiltshire Council.
Members of the Strategic Planning Committee voted unanimously against the proposal, after planning officers recommended they should be thrown out.
The application sought outline planning permission for 315 homes as well as employment, commercial and leisure spaces - which would include a control tower, heritage centre, visitor centre, café/restaurant, parachute centre, aviation archives and aircraft hangars.
Nearly 300 comments and a petition had been submitted against the plans, raising concerns and issues regarding the impact of the development on the surrounding area and the airfield itself.
Dating back to the First World War, Old Sarum Airfield is one of the oldest operational airfields in the UK and contains three grade II listed hangars.
Cllr Annie Riddle, from Salisbury City Council, was among the numerous individuals attending the meeting to speak in objection to the application.
She described the airfield as a site “of national significance” and spoke of the potential impact on “the views from Old Sarum and on the whole historic landscape.”
A similar application submitted in 2015 was also refused, despite it being taken to appeal.
At the time, the appeal inspector concluded that harm, to both the airfield conservation area and the setting of Old Sarum scheduled monument could not be satisfactorily mitigated under any circumstances.
Airfield owners' response
Grenville Hodge, Director of Old Sarum Airfield, said:
“Old Sarum Airfield are extremely disappointed that Wiltshire Council has refused this application.
"Despite receiving support from Historic England and Natural England for the proposals, which provide a long term viable solution for the airfield whilst safeguarding the WW1 heritage assets and provide much needed housing, the council has decided to refuse our application.
"As part of the application, we were prepared for the council to impose restrictions on our current unrestricted aircraft activity and noise at the airfield for the benefit of the thousands of residents who surround the airfield, however this decision will now significantly impact the lives of local people.
"Additionally, it seems contradictory that Wiltshire Council are using heritage concerns as grounds for refusal when the national heritage experts Historic England clearly support the proposals.
"Over the last 2 years, Old Sarum Airfield and our team of professionals have worked tirelessly to bring forward the highest quality proposals possible to secure the future of the airfield as an active flying hub, provide new housing, make highways, ecological and connectivity improvements and benefits as well as enhance and protect the heritage assets. We have engaged with Wiltshire Council in good faith but have found the local authority to be unresponsive and obstructive over many issues.
"We will now study the refusal and look at our options.”