15 January 2019
Wellesbourne Airfield looks like it might be heading into local council ownership.
Stratford District Council has confirmed it has set aside £1.125m in its 2019/2020 budget for the Compulsory Purchase of the airfield.
The current owners are trying to get planning permission to redevelop the airfield for housing, threatening the existence of the many businesses on the site.
The on-site businesses are in the final stages of an appeal against an earlier court decision which said that the landowners, Littler Investments, did not have to offer new leases. The appeal is due to be heard later this week on 17 January.
The council’s statement says: “£1,125,000 as a one-off sum for the Compulsory Purchase Order. The Council is committed to the continuance of aviation at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield and has approved policies within the Core Strategy to achieve this aim and to help preserve industrial land in the district, of which there is a shortage.”
11 comments
This headline implies the landowners have agreed to that price. They haven’t. The figure is laughable.
For compulsory purchase they can set the price themselves possibly,one would hope so
The Land Compensation Act 1961 section 5 generally requires that the owner of an interest in land (e.g. a freehold, leasehold or easement) receives payment for the “value of the land… if sold on an open market by a willing seller”.
Agreed! The clue is in the title “compulsory” CPO’s are not much of a negotiation really in that the owner won’t be happy with the price as it will be sold as a going concern they don’t want with no premium for development potential as by that stage it has none! At the end of the day the “DV” District valuer will set the price and all they can do is employ their own valuer to try and get it up a bit. So delighted to say their golden egg has disappeared 🙂
Well done Stratford District Council. It would be a shame to have one of the country’s best GA airfields disappear under houses. (Quite apart from having the best airfield cafe). Once airfields disappear, they are gone forever and cannot be resurrected. We need to protect our airfield infrastructure.
Well done Stratford DC. Now how about South Staffs doing something similar at Halfpenny Green.
The value of the land on the opening market would be millions, so not sure what points are being made.. As mentioned the figure on of £1m is laughable.
Just to clarify. The £1,125,000 is provision for legal fees only. Read the article, misleading press statement from SDC
https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/business/council-allocate-1-million-towards-compulsory-purchase-order-for-wellesbourne-airfield-1-8771298
In fact those funds are therefore for everything, the purchase price and the legal fees. It isnt enough by a few million..
No, just for legal fees alone. The CPO process hasn’t even really started!