The High Court has rejected a challenge to the DoE’s refusal of planning consent for the extension of an existing aircraft hangar and construction of a further hangar at Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire.
Deputy High Court Judge Robin Purchas QC has upheld last November’s decision endorsing local authority refusal for the plan. The application was made by Dr Michael Batt, who runs Air Training Services Ltd, a company that already has two hangars on the former World War II airfield.
Dismissing the challenge, the judge said the principal issue was whether the proposed development would be appropriate in the metropolitan green belt. He said that the local plan policy in respect of Wycombe Air Park provided for development only if it was closely related to the use of the air park for a civil aerodrome and airfield for the private or club flying of light aircraft or gliders.
While there was provision in the policy for consent to be granted for ancillary businesses which needed to be located at the air park, he said he considered that the projects would create financial pressure over the long term for a shift from private or club flying to a more commercialised aviation use, and that the proposed new aircraft hangar would intrude into a hitherto open and undeveloped area of the green belt.
Batt v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Queen’s Bench Division (Robin Purchas QC, sitting as a deputy judge of the division) 4 August 2000.
PLS News 8/8/00
