COUNCIL chiefs have committed to safeguarding the future of Wellesbourne Airfield.
Stratford District Council’s decided in December to remove permitted development rights to demolish buildings at the airfield following proposals to build some 1,500 new homes on the site – a move many believed would stretch already limited resources in the village and lead to the loss of a number of businesses based at the site.
The council’s decision was put out for consultation and after considering representations the ruling Cabinet decided today to uphold
its original decision, which would otherwise have expired on June 14.
Council leader Chris Saint said: “The airfield is an important employment and recreation site within the district.
“The council’s adopted Core Strategy is very much in support of this and the unanimous decision by The Cabinet greatly endorses this.
“The district council took this original course of action to safeguard the future of this important asset given the eviction notices that had been served on current tenants of the site and the application submitted to the council’s building control service to demolish a number of buildings on the site.”
Village campaign group Wellesbourne Matters and airfield businesses fought hard to save the airfield from developers.
The Platt Group – which runs the weekly Wellesbourne Market which has been operating at the airfield for more than 40 years – also opposed the plans and were quick to reassure stallholders the market was not going anywhere soon.
The airfield’s history stretches back to 1941 when the Government bought 200 acres of farmland. RAF Wellesbourne Mountford was a training centre for British and Commonwealth aircrews during the Second World War, turning out pilots, navigators, wireless operators and air gunners.
The RAF sold the airfield back to the Littler Family in 1965.
