Issue and Options 2023

Nothing chosen

We agree that the Vision and Strategic Objectives are appropriate; our response will be limited to the following objectives: Providing infrastructure in the right place at the right time. Developing opportunities for jobs. Contributing towards Net Zero Carbon targets. Enriching the tourism potential. Connecting people to places.

Infrastructure Requirements and delivery We agree that connectivity needs to be improved and development proposals do need to provide for appropriate transport infrastructure. We also agree that an advanced, high quality and reliable communications infrastructure is essential for economic growth and social well-being. Our view is that airfields represent a significant contribution to those aims and objectives. Wellesbourne Airfield represents a piece of existing transport infrastructure that will provide great opportunities in many policy areas. Connectivity is a good example, as a runway in one place connects directly to every other runway in every other place. With regard to addressing climate change, the rapidly developing electric aircraft sector will require a significant number of hard runways from which to operate. A lack of national runway infrastructure will severely hamper the timely introduction of electric aircraft which will be to the detriment of the Government’s climate change and net-zero objectives. The desire to redevelop the aviation infrastructure at Wellesbourne airfield brings with it the opportunity to create a well-designed and beautiful place comprising of signature buildings in sympathetically landscaped surroundings. In the light of any non-aviation related developments at Wellesbourne Airfield, it is appropriate for the developers to accept a contribution to a negatively worded S106 Planning Obligation with the constraint of a bank-guaranteed bond. We would also support the use of public sector funding through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the government’s Shared Prosperity fund.

Nothing chosen

Wellesbourne Matters supports a policy to safeguard specific infrastructure schemes such as airfields and airports, in line with the criteria set down by the Government. Wellesbourne airfield with its continued use by both Military and Emergency Services aviation assets meets the requirements for being safeguarded. Safeguarding ensures that viability or lack thereof, in one set of circumstances is no indicator of a lack of viability in another set of circumstances. The rail infrastructure that was lost after the Dr Beeching cuts, shows that nobody can be certain of what the future holds. The current viability of an infrastructure asset brings forward the idea of sustainability which the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Wellesbourne Matters supports the policy of prioritising brownfield development only when it corresponds with the identified growth strategy. Currently the entire curtilage of an airfield or airport is classified as ‘brownfield’ even though a significant proportion of the land itself may well have never been developed. The value of an airfield as an airfield should always exceed its value as a brownfield site put to other uses.

Option E2c: Wellesbourne Matters supports a policy which looks to identify sites or development zones which are targeted at businesses wishing to be innovative towards a low carbon economy. Businesses and R&D facilities working on electric power-trains and alternative fuels within aviation are exactly the type of businesses that should be encouraged to relocate or start up in the district. Having access to an airfield with suitable hard runways alongside modern offices, workshops and hangars would be essential in order to attract participants in this fast-growing industry sector. With regard to question Q-E5 Option E5a: Wellesbourne Matters supports a policy which encourages a range of business units of differing sizes. The current lack of provision for small and start-up businesses in and around Wellesbourne would be mitigated by allocating small areas of land at Wellesbourne Mountford airfield for appropriate employment development for this sector. Option E6a: Wellesbourne matters support a policy which protects South Warwickshire’s economic assets. Once an economic asset is gone, it is often difficult and extremely expensive to get it back again. Wellesbourne Mountford airfield for example was built at vast expense to the public purse and still continues to function 80 years later. To build a new airfield of this quality today would be quite difficult so it is better to protect and benefit from what is already in place. With regard to question Q-E8.3: Wellesbourne Matters agrees that proposals seeking the loss of a business, commercial or community building or facility should be subject to marketing, viability and alternative use tests. With regard to question Q-E8.4: Wellesbourne matters consider that an appropriate test for a proposed loss of any building or facility would be to determine if any difficulties might arise concerning the ‘replaceability’ of the building or facility at some other location within the district. If a building or facility is found to be irreplaceable then that should factor strongly in any decision to lose the building or facility in the first place. With regard to question Q-E10: Wellesbourne matters do not agree that Tourism should only be addressed in Part 2 of the South Warwickshire Local Plan. One aspect of tourism that has a significant effect on the spatial planning of an area is the ability for tourists to continue to arrive by air. With regard to question Q-E11: Wellesbourne Matters supports a policy framework that addresses South Warwickshire’s economic needs by encouraging greater participation in the expanding aviation service and support industries.

No answer given

Option T2b: Wellesbourne Matters does not support a transport policy which takes a hierarchical approach. All transport modes (including air transport) are equally valid when a user’s prevailing circumstances are taken into account. A user might elect to take a half-hour journey by electric aircraft between Wellesbourne and Gloucester rather than using bus and train for the same journey. With regard to question Q-T3: Option T3a: Wellesbourne Matters not only supports a policy encouraging more sustainable road-based transport for businesses, it also strongly supports a policy to encourage more sustainable air-transport. There is an emerging concept of the ‘Middle(Air) Mile’ whereby electric cargo aircraft can take an ever-increasing volume of trunked freight off the roads entirely. This however will not be possible without a network of suitable hard-surface runways strategically located near every major town and city. With regard to question Q-T5: Wellesbourne Matters supports the desire to have a well-connected South Warwickshire. It is an old, but still pertinent observation that “A mile of road or rail takes you a mile away, a mile of runway can take you everywhere in the world!” A hard-surface runway at Wellesbourne guarantees that it will be extremely well-connected, both to national as well as international networks.