Bagby Airfield , North Yorkshire ; threat of closure

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Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 274

I have taken this from a message which appeared on a north east e-list ;

Bagby Airfield (EGNG) has been hit with an unprecedented 14 Planning Enforcement Notices by the Local Authority, designed to ensure its closure.

We need your support to keep Bagby Airfield's facilities open and protect the 15 jobs there.

Please spare an hour or 2 of your time on Tuesday 22nd May 2012 to show your support at the Appeal Hearing at Hambleton District Council, Civic Centre, Stone Cross, Northallerton, DL6 2UU at 10am or click on the link below to comment on this case and register your support on the planning portal at Case Summary for APP/G2713/C/11/2165522

We need to show Hambleton District Council that the Airfield has the support of its users and the wider community so please pass this information to anyone who may be moved to support us.

Be certain of one thing - if the planning authority are successful in their enforcement action a precedent will have been set and other local and national airfields may find themsleves at risk from closure too.

If you'd like a poster to display at your local airfield please email us at [email]flybyhire@btinternet.com[/email] and we'll email you one.

Transport will be provided from the Airfield to the Appeal Hearing venue if you wish to fly-in.

A buffet will also be provided at the Airfield for those who attend the hearing to lend their support.

Thank you

Steve Hoyle
Airfield Manager - Bagby (EGNG)

Original post

Member for

13 years

Posts: 6,535

David/Steve,

Have e-mailed you for posters for Thruxton, Old Sarum and Popham.

John Green

Member for

14 years 10 months

Posts: 699

The phrase Enforcement Notice implies that the airfield hasn't been complying with its planning restrictions. Is this true?

Regards

Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 274

This is the latest in a long running saga between the airfield and local residents which has had many column inches in the local press , the latest being here ;

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/thirsk/9660324.Bagby_Airfield_inquiry_criticises_Hambleton_District_Council/

As an aviation enthusiast I would like to see the airfield survive but to do so it must comply with the law . Because of this on-going dispute the Yorkshire Air Ambulance which had a base here recently moved out to RAF Topcliffe , a letter of support here ;

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2012/04/20/Letters+To+The+Editor+%28dst_letters%29/9662517.Own_goal/

There are over 50 GA aircraft based at Bagby and if the axe were to fall on the airfield I suspect that a lot of these aircraft would become homeless as other local airstrips in the area would struggle to accommodate them plus the costs to the owners of transport to and from these strips and hangarage charges may prove too much for some ? It is certainly an uncertain future for both the airfield and local residents and hopefully an amicable settlement can be made between both parties to allow the airfield to continue to operate ?

Member for

12 years 6 months

Posts: 172

Let me just say that I know nothing about Bagby (was going to go there for the first time the other weekend but rain stopped play) but it seems to me from the little I've read and heard on the grapevine that it's a bit of an own goal. While of course suppporting any airfields's right to continue, isn't it incumbent on the owners/operators to make sure that everything they do, down to the last dotted i and crossed t is squeaky clean? We all know how nimby this country has become, God forbid anyone should be enjoying themeselves.

I still wish you the best of luck of course and will support your right to fly from there.

Profile picture for user Phantom Phil

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 1,067

The hearing has been and gone - any updates?

Member for

13 years

Posts: 6,535

That's excellent news but, by my interpretation, merely a postponement of the inevitable. Airfields are the most alluring of sites to meet housing targets. This is irresistible.

What is needed is a legal provision that a grant of planning consent for development of an airfield will be given only on condition that the developers provide equivalent facilities within a reasonable distance (perhaps 10 miles radius) of the airfield under threat of closure.