STRICTLY speaking, you could say it’s none of my business as a mere city councillor. Our little airfield is outside the Salisbury parish border.
Yet everything that goes on at Old Sarum impacts city residents. Especially issues around planning.
So what’s bothering me now? Housing development in unsuitable places and unsuitable quantities, you may not be surprised to hear.
The World War One airfield’s owners are undeterred by losing their battle against an inspector’s verdict that plonking 460 homes in this Conservation Area would cause “inordinate” harm to our historic environment.
They’re talking about 320 this time. Still not exactly conservation, in my opinion.
Yesterday people were invited to what their PR team called a ‘public consultation’. Yet there is no concrete (unfortunate choice of word, perhaps!) masterplan to consult on. More of a presentation of possibilities that won’t necessarily be binding on any future builder.
Just consider what the extra traffic from 320 properties will do to the jams and the quality of life for residents on Castle Road.
Consider the impact on the residents of Ford, officially designated a small village by Wiltshire Council.
Ask yourself what you want to see when you stroll up Castle Hill country park or the Old Sarum monument. How about an airfield-sized green respite amid the ever-expanding vista of new-builds? Even a few light aircraft bringing the place back to life?
For those new to the subject it’s worth explaining that the real villain of the piece is Core Policy 25 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy – a woolly policy in a strategy well overdue for revision.
This allows for an unspecified amount of “sympathetic” new development on the airfield perimeter, as long as it enhances the historic environment and retains and safeguards flying activity whilst limiting aircraft noise.
All that it’s achieved is a lengthy, costly wrangle.
The Grade II* listed Hangar Three has rotted to such an extent that it’s had to be shored up under the guidance of Historic England. Why hasn’t it been made wind and watertight?
According to a Journal report, it’ll be completely refurbished if the new development plans get the nod. What if they don’t?
The Core Strategy stipulates that the masterplan for the whole airfield that “protects the amenity of existing residents” should be worked up in consultation with the community, planning authority and developer “prior to any application being considered”.
That would be a start.
