LOOP News

1 JAN 07: GOVT RENEGES ON PLANNING PROMISE

THE government has reneged on its promise to protect airfields in its new housing planning guidance policy.

A document known as PPG3 published on 29 November has failed to take into consideration the huge response made by General Aviation last March when the guidelines were put out to consultation (LOOP, Mar 06).

"Yet again the Government is saying one thing and doing another," said the General Aviation Awareness Council (GAAC) which has been leading the campaign.

"The new guidelines omit the crucial exemption clause opening up the very real possibility of airfields being regarded as potential building sites."

Anna Blooomfield, a planning consultant advising the GAAC, said the new guidelines are now in place.
"Despite all the representations made, and indeed assurances from MPs that this was just a "slip of the pen", it does NOT include the vital footnote. This is serious.

"The concern of all those who originally objected should be re-iterated to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Local MPs should also be advised and questions asked in the House, so there may perhaps be a written reply that could give some comfort."
W: www.gaac.co.uk
W: www.communities.gov.uk

"We (the DfT) understand the value of maintaining a network of general aviation airfields - not just to you [the GA Community] but to all of us. And I can confirm today that we are looking at how to move this forward, including the possibility of a national policy statement."
- Gillian Merron, Minister for Aviation, 21 Nov 06

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LOOP News

1 JAN 07: GOVT RENEGES ON PLANNING PROMISE