Parish council issues statement on updated Old Sarum Airfield plans

There are plans to submit a new planning application on the site, and the owners have been working on a new, revised scheme following last year's High Court judgement. 

Directors of the First World War airfield announced in June last year that they will be sharing new proposals, which will “ensure the landmark heritage site will be restored and its long-term future secured” but also “take into consideration” the views of the planning inspector, Historic England and Mr Justice Knowles who gave a ruling in a High Court Appeal.

Specific details of the revised plans have not yet been revealed, but the Journal understands these could include the demolition of non-listed buildings in the Conservation Area; repair of existing buildings, and around 320 new homes. 

Area A, by the Portway has been reduced by half to 160 houses, Area B will remain roughly the same as before, and Area C in Ford, has been reduced from 160 houses to 155.

Old Sarum Airfield (Image: Newsquest)

Councillor Nick Baker, who is chairman of Laverstock and Ford Parish Council, said: "There is a long and difficult history to the potential development of this site, but it is encouraging that in this new chapter of the story those planning the development have engaged with the parish council and local residents before submitting their application."

The comments follow a meeting of the parish council on Monday night, which featured a presentation from Grenville Hodge, as well as a planning advisor, and CreatrixPR.

There will be a formal consultation process once the application is finalised and only at that point will the parish council take a view on the merits of the application.  

Cllr Baker added that it was clear from the packed meeting how strongly the local community values the airfield as a heritage asset in its own right and as part of the setting for Old Sarum Castle.

He said: "Development could potentially have a positive impact generating revenues to protect the future of the airfield and creating a valuable economic asset.

"However there were serious concerns expressed about the impact of 155 new houses on the community of Ford, local roads and infrastructure. We hope that the feedback the developers took from the meeting will allow them to address the concerns expressed in their final planning submission."

Mr Hodge said he is fully committed to the restoration of the hangar, as well as to returning general aviation to the airfield, but that the cost of repairing the listed hangar would be somewhere in the region of £2-3million. 

Parish Cllr Lainey Barker said to Grenville Hodge: "You paint a very pretty picture and say you are very keen on heritage. I spend a lot of time walking round, and have a very different picture in my head.

"I see someone who when the legal challenge went against him threw a hissy fit, threw all his toys out of the pram and has basically neglected the airfield ever since.

"You are asking me to put my trust in you but from what I see I don’t think heritage and care of the airfield is at the top of the agenda. A fancy profit is at the top of the agenda."

It has been confirmed that there will be an exhibition and presentation of the plans once they have been finalised, which should take place in March. At this point there will be a public consultation, before an outline planning application is submitted. 

Some computer images of what a potential development may look like were shown at the meeting, and the Journal has requested these for publication from CreatixPR, but the company did not respond at the time of going to print. 

Grenville Hodge has been contacted for additional comment.