Councillors ignore officers over March builders' yard

Nigel Davies, the owner and operator of March airfield, which is located off Cross Road, told Fenland's planning committee that an application by Mark Venni for a house, builders' yard, shed and a 2.4m high palisade fence and gates, plus the siting of six containers, and the formation of an access off Cross Road could pose a safety threat to pilots using his airfield.

Mr Davies said he had no problem with Mr Venni building on the site in principle, but was unhappy with the proposed location of the four-bedroom house.

Wednesday was the second time the application had been before the committee. It was deferred in October for more information and clarification over the potential dangers posed by thermal air radiating off the proposed house and buildings, causing turbulence for aircraft taking off and landing.

Fenland's planning committee has approved plans to build a house and builders' yard on a site next to March Airfield despite warnings it could close the airfield. (Image: Fenland District Council)

Mr Davies pointed to legislation from the Civil Aviation Authority, which requires a no-fly zone, which means aircraft have to remain 500ft away from structures, vessels, people, and vehicles.

He said that the requirement would be compromised if the application were approved.

Mr Davies argued that the proposed house would cause his business to break the law.

He pointed out that the airfield had been in operation without incident for more than 16 years and was highly regarded as a training school, attracting trainee pilots from across the country, including Scotland and Wales.

Fenland's planning committee has approved plans to build a house and builders' yard on a site next to March Airfield despite warnings it could close the airfield. (Image: Fenland District Council)

He explained how the paramotors, which fly out and into the airfield, need to drop in height by carrying out figure-of-eight movements until they are at 100ft to 75ft and ready to approach for landing, and that they have to fly into the wind both to take off and land.

He said the predominant wind direction is from west to east, so they would have to fly in over the proposed location of the house.

Mr Davies also pointed out that the aircraft are not fixed-wing, and that thermals could cause a wing to collapse, causing a crash.

"If you grant this planning application in the current location, you will literally be shutting our business down," he warned.

Owner of the airfield Nigel Davies showed councillors where pilots perform their figure-of-eight manoeuvres when coming into land to demonstrate why he is opposed to Mark Venni's house and builders' yard. (Image: Fenland District Council)

However, Mr Venni said he discussed his plans with Mr Davies before submitting the application, and they had talked about the location of the house, which had been agreed by Mr Davies.

Mr Venni explained his business was also facing jeopardy, as he had been given notice to quit his current yard in Elm Road, and if planning was refused, he would be forced to find another site.

At October's meeting, councillors decided that they did not have enough information on the safety implications of the application and wanted to hear more from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

However, Wednesday's meeting heard there had been no further information from the authority.

Fenland's planning committee has approved plans to build a house and builders' yard on a site next to March Airfield despite warnings it could close the airfield. (Image: Fenland District Council)

An officer's report to the committee outlined five reasons why the application should be refused; the safety issues were just one of those. The others included that the proposed site was in the open countryside.

It said: "The proposal, by virtue of the development of a greenfield site in a rural location, along with the excessive size and scale of the dwelling proposed, along with the proposed garage, shed, and storage containers, would be harmful to the character of the open countryside."

The report pointed out that the site is located in an "elsewhere" location, which means development should be restricted to what is essential to agriculture or other uses requiring a rural location.

It said that the application did not have any evidence to support the justification that there was an "essential need" for the development.

"The proposal would therefore result in unwarranted development in an unsustainable rural location contrary to the aforementioned policies," said the report.

The third reason was the fact that the site is located in Flood Zone 3 (the highest risk), and the report said: "It is considered that the proposal is at an unacceptable risk of flooding without sufficient justification."

However, Cllr Charlie Marks said the 'elsewhere' location was acceptable as a builders' yard could no longer be built in town locations.

He argued that the risk of flooding could be mitigated by building up the house.

At the previous meeting, the officers heard that the CCA was concerned about the potential risk to pilots from a phenomenon of thermal energy that can radiate off buildings and cause the wings of paramotors to fold or collapse.

But councillors felt there was scope for the airfield to move the figure of eight performed by pilots as they come into land to lower their height slightly, away from Mr Venni's proposed house.

The council's legal officer Stephen Turnbull, warned councillors that Fenland Council could be liable if there were to be some sort of incident at the airfield as a result of granting permission, as they were aware of the safety concerns. He put the risk to the council at around 10%.

Having heard all that, Cllr Marks proposed going against the officer's recommendations, and his proposal was seconded by Cllr Jan French.

A vote followed with four councillors in favour of granting permission, two against, and one, Cllr Ian Benney, abstaining from the vote.