The 400m buffer should be reconsidered and replaced with a more robust policy that offers a true reflection and response to noise and safety concerns.

Land likely to be used in cases of aircraft emergency should be kept open and free from development.

Reference to the 400m buffer zone, and its inclusion in policy A17 is understood and welcomed, but we question if, as part of this local plan, a more robust area of control can be created. The 400m distance was a useful ‘rule of thumb’ generated in the absence of any other policy restricting sensitive or particularly harmful development in close proximity to the circuit and airfield, but it is appropriate to replace it with a more considered and robust policy parameter.

It is unfortunate that in drawing a limit on a plan, developers are interpreting the constraint as supporting development at any point beyond 400m from the site boundary. This is too simplistic and gave rise to the problems encountered with the proposed development north of Madgwick Lane, with development proposed up to the 400m limit because it was interpreted as being acceptable in policy terms. On the ground this was not the case with issues of noise and disturbance from overflying aircraft, and aircraft safety issues rendering development beyond the 400m in this location equally unacceptable.

The Estate would welcome the opportunity to discuss and agree with the planning authority a more robust buffer zone around the airfield and motor circuit, that responds more appropriately to facts on the ground, and to the existing safeguarding NPRs which exist.

Development, of a form other than housing, and not sensitive to noise from the circuit and aircraft movements could be developed closer to the site than 400m in some locations, while in others the 400m limit should be extended (following NPRs for example). Land immediately to the south of the airfield between it and the river should however remain as open land, both for aircraft safety considerations and for community amenity and landscape benefits.

Open land around the airfield that is most likely to be used in the case of aircraft emergency, should be included in the development exclusion zone and identified as open space and or land of landscape importance (the area identified as “Land removed from existing site allocation” on Map A9a fits such a category).