Planning Committee Approves 1,800 New Homes At U.K. Airport

A vote by the Waverley Borough planning committee in Surry, U.K. would allow the construction of some 1,800 low-cost homes, as well as a health center, sports facilities, and open public space on the site of the Dunsfold Aerodrome.

The 10-8 vote was taken last Wednesday.

Dunsfold Aerodrome was built by the Canadian Army as an emergency airfield for bombers and fighters during WWII. It was also where some of the development of the Hawker Hunter, Hawk and Harrier aircraft took place.

Dunsfold is now a private, unlicensed airfield, but it is still used by some military aircraft. The runway is also used as a "test track" for the British version of the television program "Top Gear", according to Wikipedia.

Construction of the homes and other buildings leaves the future of the "Wings and Wheels" air show in doubt, according to britishairshows.com. The show has been staged at Dunsfold for more than 10 years during the August Bank Holidays in the U.K.

The proposal for development was the second in the past 10 years. The planning board rejected a plan to develop 2,600 homes on the site in 2008. The proposal that passed addressed some of the concerns expressed by government and residents about density and lack of public transportation in the area.

The plan calls for the removal of the three runways at the airfield. No other mention of an aviation use can be found in the plan.

The Wings and Wheels show for 2017 has been scheduled for August 26-27

FMI: http://planning.waverley.gov.uk/live/wbc/pwl.nsf/(RefNoLU)/WA20152395?OpenDocument, www.wingsandwheels.net