People living in a village bordered by Nottingham City Airport say its possible closure to make way for 1,600 houses would be a 'great loss'. Developers Vistry Homes Ltd have applied to start the planning process to build on the airport itself, requesting environmental impact assessment scoping details from Rushcliffe Borough Council, ahead of a formal planning application being put forward.
An environmental impact assessment is a detailed process looking at how a proposed development could affect an area, with onus on what could be done to prevent or reduce potential issues becoming a problem. In brief planning documents submitted at an early stage to the local authority, the developer has outlined an ambition to demolish the cafe and air traffic building, remove the runway and build up to 1,600 houses.
A local centre, new primary school and sports pitches could all be created under the plan. People in the nearby village of Gamston, on one side of the airfield, have already expressed their concerns, but those living in Tollerton, on the other side, have since expressed particular disquiet about the potential loss of the airport.
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Brennig Jones, 66, said: "The village is already struggling because the schools are full, but I think the airfield would be really missed. I used to be in the air force and so it's good even to hear the smaller aircraft that regularly flies over.
"I think it's a dreadful thing. I was looking at some figures from the Department for Transport which said the average house generates around five car journeys per day so, if you multiply that by 1,600 houses, that's going to mean the roads around here get much busier."
The aviation history of the Tollerton airfield stretches back to the early 20th century, with several flying clubs being based there in its early days. The site then became RAF Tollerton in 1939 and served many important roles during the Second World War.
The site entered some commercial difficulty after the war but help came in the form of Derek Truman, whose company Truman Aviation has been the principal leaseholder of the airfield since 1963. In recent years, the airport has served general aviation and its facilities include two hard runways and a café.
Last year, Brian Wells, one of the co-directors of Truman Aviation, said he wasn't confident the airport would remain in the future, when asked about development plans for the area.
Other Tollerton residents expressing concerns about the airport included Janet Scotney, 84, who said: "There is a lot of history attached to the airport in terms of the war and the flights bringing in stars for the theatre shows in Nottingham. It will be a great loss to the village if it goes.
"There aren't any services in the village as it is. There aren't really any shops and I understand the schools are full, so I don't want this development and most people in the village don't."
One woman who has lived in the village for five years, and who did not want to be named, said: "We're not happy at all about the plans and losing the airport is a real shame because it does give this place some added character. The kids really love to see the planes flying over too."
But as well as the potential loss of the airport, other Tollerton residents had other concerns about the building of 1,600 houses. Pam Clarke, 74, said: "I wasn't too happy about living near the airport originally and having Biggles flying over, but I would much rather have that than 1,600 houses.
"Traffic can already be bad around here and this will just make it worse. I don't know where all of these extra people are going to go either, because all we've got is a pub.
The 1,600 homes plan comes alongside separate proposals for the first phase of the vast Gamston Fields neighbourhood, involving the building of 2,250 houses on surrounding land. An outline planning application was previously submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council for the homes on land to the north of Tollerton, land that forms part of the council's strategic housing allocation. Those plans, submitted by Taylor Wimpey and Barwood Land, also include a new local centre, retail shop and children's play areas.
The proposals for the first phase also include a new roundabout from the A52 Lings Bar Road onto Tollerton Lane and Ambleside, additional new highways infrastructure and retail provision through a new neighbourhood centre. Areas of public open space and parks are also proposed.
A decision is yet to be made on the outline planning application. If approved by the borough council, it would mean the developers would have to lodge a detailed, reserved matters planning application. Such plans focus on the appearance of a development and it's relevant access arrangements.
A new retirement 'village' is also planned in the vicinity of the airport. Nottingham City Airport was approached for further comment on the latest plans for 1,600 homes.
Such large-scale house building in Rushcliffe would add to the vast new Fairham neighbourhood near Clifton where eventually 3,000 homes are expected to be built, and the hundreds of homes which have gone up west of the Wheatcroft Island in Edwalton.
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