Dunsfold Aerodrome

 

The local opposition group is the Stop Dunsfold Airfield Action Group

They do not yet have a website, but they can be contacted at Further information at  stopdunsfoldairportactiongroup@gmail.com

Some news and information about Dunsfold Aerodrome is below.


Inspector dismissed Dunsfold Aerodrome appeal for Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use

April 13, 2012     People living near Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey were pleased to learn that, on 5th April, the Inspector ruled against the aerodrome. Dunsfold had appealed against a refusal by Waverley Borough Council to allow the the appeal by the aerodrome for a “Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use” (CLEUD). That would have meant there could be completely unrestricted use of the aerodrome, with no limits on number of flights, time of flights, amount of noise, amount of traffic generated, or anything else. Dunsfold based their case on what had been permitted on 1st July 1948 (the day the first Town and Country Planning Act became law). Though the Inspector has ruled against the appeal, in 2018 the current situation changes, and the aerodrome hopes to do more aircraft maintenance etc.   Click here to view full story…

 

Update on Dunsfold Aerodrome – now gone to Appeal for Certificate of Lawfulness

January 31, 2012     The Aerodrome’s Appeal, against the rejection by Waverley Borough Council, of their application for a Certificate of Lawfulness started on 31st January. It may take 10 days, or less. In addition, Dunsfold Park has also applied for an increase in Annual Traffic Movements from 5,000 per year up to 6,600, and the removal of flight restrictions during the Olympics. They now want to have flights permitted after 8.30pm on weekdays, and after 3pm at weekends, though that is currently not allowed. Local residents are very concerned that if Dunsfold Park are successful in their appeal against Waverley Borough Councils’ refusal to grant a Certificate of Lawfulness, or if they are successful in their most recent applications then Dunsfold aerodrome will have UNRESTRICTED AVIATION ACTIVITIES. Not even the major airports in the UK have approval for totally unrestricted aviation.    Click here to view full story…


 

Dunsfold Park aerodrome in Olympic flights bid

19 December 2011  (BBC)   Plans to extend aviation activity at an airfield in Surrey during the Olympics next year have been submitted to Waverley Borough Council.

Dunsfold Park wants to run extra flights between 21 July and 15 August.   Dunsfold Park said the application followed a government announcement that airports including Dunsfold would meet extra demand during London 2012.    Alfold Parish Council has opposed the plans, claiming there is “no demand and no need” for the extra activity.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-16247145


Waverley council ‘fighting fund’ in Dunsfold Park row

27.10.2011  (BBC)

A £65,000 fighting fund has been set aside by a Surrey council ahead of a planning row over Dunsfold Park aerodrome.  Waverley council said Dunsfold Park wrote to them claiming it had the right to use the site for unlimited and unrestricted aviation activity.  The council rejected the application and Dunsfold Park lodged an appeal.   Dunsfold Park confirmed its application had been turned down and said all its efforts were focused on the appeal.   Councillor Adam Taylor-Smith said: “It has been the council’s long-held view that aviation activity at Dunsfold should be controlled and restricted. This money will have to be spent so Waverley can strongly defend the decision it made on Dunsfold Park’s certificate of lawful use request in the summer.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-15474743


Application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for Dunsfold Aerodrome refused by Waverley Borough Council

7.7.2011

On  6th July, Waverley Borough Council refused the application by Dunsfold Aerodrome
for a Certificate of Lawfulness.
http://waverweb.waverley.gov.uk/live/wbc/pwl.nsf/(RefNoLU)/WA20110520?OpenDocument
The Aerodrome had sought permission to continue with unrestricted flying, with
no limitations or conditions.   Waverley has totally refused that.
The Aerodrome’s application was for:
Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 191 use of the application land as an
aerodrome for aviation activities, including for the start up, taxiing, engine
testing, ground running, take off and landing of aircraft, without condition,
restriction or limitation as to:- Number of aircraft- Number of take offs and landings- Type of aircraft (whether fixed wing or rotary civil or military, commercial
or private, training or non-training, and whatever the origin or destination of
the flight)- Size of aircraft- Weight of aircraft

– Number of crew and passengers

– Type and amount of freight

– Duration

– Period of use (hours, days, nights, weeks, weekends etc)

– Surface traffic generation

– Number of employees employed on or off the application land or persons generally
on or off the application land

– Noise, air quality other emissions and environmental effects or otherwise.

Waverley Planning Portal
Dunsfold is an Airport under the Airports Act 1986. It has its licence for the
purpose of levying charges, but it does not have a CAA licence for carrying passengers.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/OR6_163.pdf

A local campaigner has interpreted the legal wording of the letter, written by
a barrister, into plain English – below:
NOTES ON DECISION FOR REFUSAL OF LAWFUL USE CERTIFICATE
The refusal is carefully worded ; it covers all the  points but avoids contentious
statements  which could give  grounds for appeal.
To summarise, the reasons for refusal are
1. The application land was at 1st July 1948 part of a maintenance depot which
no longer exists: parts of the original are now a multi-use business park. There
is no continuing right to use the application land separately  from the original
whole for flying activities
2. The uses claimed in the application are materially different from those existing
at 1st July 1948
3. There was a material change of use  in 1951 when Hawkers implemented the consent
of 13 April 1951. (For “erection repair and flight testing of aircraft”)
4. That consent was required by law in view of the change from a maintenance
depot to manufacturing.
5. That consent was a permanent permission and there was no further  change for
the duration of Hawkers/BAE’s occupation.(ie until about 2002.) The flying activities
during this period were part of the use   authorised by that consent.
6.  The use of  Dunsfold has materially changed since 2002 and parts are now a business park
with no connections to aviation.
7. The 1951 consent does not authorise a change of use of the application land
as distinct from the whole for general aviation activities unrelated to design
development flight testing assembly production and maintenance of aircraft.
8. The changes of use since 2002 have been authorised by a  series of planning
consents for example for light and general industrial purposes and storage.
9. Those  consents impose conditions, and use for the purposes claimed in the
application would breach  these  conditions.
10. Expiry of  various temporary  consents does not mean any reversion to the previously
subsisting use claimed.
He  suspects the refusal was drafted by counsel.
There  is also  an officer’s report to the  Council  from  Cameron Stanley the
case officer  (44 pages)  which expands on the above. It is available on WA/2010/0520
Thursday, 07 July 2011

See also older news:

Campaigners step up Dunsfold Park fight due to threat of unrestricted flights

11th May 2011

A warning ‘wake-up’ call has been issued to all Waverley residents to act now
to stop Dunsfold Airport. Dunsfold Park currently has a cap of 5,000 annual ATMs
but it has submitted an application for a lawful development certificate (LDC)
for unrestricted aviation. Owners hope to reactivate the underlying aviation consent
to make it commercially viable. FoE have produced a good briefing on what needs
to be done. Dunsfold have got top planning lawyers, who won at Farnborough, to
make their case.     Click here to view full story…


More objections to Dunsfold Park flights plan

15.4.2011    The prospect of Dunsfold Park being transformed into a new airport
with unrestricted private flights has sparked a rising number of local objections.
Parish councils representing the villages most directly affected are considering
seeking specialist legal advice due to the implications. The airfield claims a
permanent planning consent, granted in 1951 for unrestricted flying, still stands
and means the current cap of 5,000 annual flight movements carries no weight.
https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/news/detail.php?art_id=2725

Jet airliners could land at Dunsfold Park

25.1.2010
A warning that jet airliners could soon be landing at Dunsfold airfield
has just been issued by prospective Guildford Lib Dem MP Sue Doughty. She believes upgrades to bring in Boeing 737s and 757s for repair were already well on the way. Dunsfold Park Ltd chief executive Jim McAllister said the company’s immediate focus would be to progress the site’s underlying permanent aviation and business consent following its failed bid to build 2,600 ‘green’ homes.

https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/news/detail.php?art_id=1450