20 November 2018
Anyone wishing to comment on the planning application to build 1,000 houses on Fairoaks Airport in Surrey should do so immediately, says the No Fairoaks New Town campaign – the comment period closes on 21 November.
“Please don’t just assume the application’s a done deal,” say the campaign organisers. “It’s far from that.”
They point out that MPs Michael Gove (Chobham), and Jonathan Lord (Woking), together with Surrey Councillor Mike Goodman, have all clearly said they’re against the bid. And the All Party Parliamentary Group for General Aviation is actively fighting against it.
“We’ve demonstrated that, with engaged owners and proper investment, Fairoaks should be a flourishing airfield and local community centre, and a key part of Woking’s drive to make itself a major transport hub,” continue the campaigners.
“But we need your help. Make it clear that you care deeply about this proposal by objecting via the SHBC website.” You’ll need the planning application number when making your comment: 18/0642
The No Fairoaks New Town campaign is posting suggestions for arguments on its Facebook page. They include the “utter inadequacy of the road infrastructure and protection of the Green Belt – what stops our area becoming just part of London sprawl?”
13 comments
FairOaks airport is a massively important local centre for General Aviation. It is not just an airfield for weekend fliers with deep pockets. General Aviation is a very important part of the infrastructure serving the industrial and public communities. Pans hanger, Wellesbourne and Redhill Airports are currently fighting rapacious housing developers plans with oversized profit objectives to the fore. All airport users have well presented and deserving cases to maintain further use as Airfields, FairOaks is the same.
How can the estimated additional road traffic of 2500 be accommodated on the local road system, and how can the local community cope with such an increase in new build estates? Just one critical observation. There are more!
There is a compromise that would retain the airfield as it is now and allow some modest housing development. The land north-east of the entrance known as the ‘Cricket Pitch’ could accommodate a few hundred conventional homes, depending on the housing density, along with 10 hangar homes with airside access to the taxiway on the boundary, each of which would contribute financially to the airport operation thereby helping to safeguard and make the airfield more sustainable. It won’t make as much profit for the developer, but would retain the airfield and business operating from it, and not unduly burden the roads and local infrastructure.
NO to building on this Airfield , stop destroying our countryside and past times , people’s lively hood and pleasures .
Fair oaks is part and parcel of the 5/6 Villages all around. We have so much building going on all around us, the Country side has now gone. Our Roads cannot cope with all the extra traffic on the small narrow roads. All traffic will come through Lightwater to gain entry to M3 and junction 3 is a nightmare from about 4pm -7 and again in morning from 7am to past 10 some mornings.
We already have Deepcut with more housing and Beldham Bridge new estate.
If there’s an accident on M25 St Peters Hospital junction theres usually a back log through Chobham through to Lightwater all at a standstill, it’s not just on.
NO NO ! to yet more destruction of our Airfields and heritage
WE lost Hucknall to the local Labour planning council
Defend our heritage and airfields – when they are gone , they are GONE.
No support from the microlight community as they’ve always been snobbish and disallowed microlights for no valid reason. Good riddance. Concentrate efforts to preserve deserving and inclusive airfields
The access infrastructure to this area must FIRST be addressed before a single property can be considered.
As far as I can tell, no one wants this development apart from the developer. Furthermore there is persistent, vociferous and well argued opposition. Perhaps someone can tell us under what process this scheme can be allowed to proceed.
The A319 Chertsey/Chobham Road is already over used at current traffic levels. I’m really not sure what on Earth 1000 to 2500 more cars using it would look like other than a snake of vehicles moving at stop start speeds of no great than 10 mph at peak times. The M25 & M3 are already snarled up.
It’s not just the local business at the Airport that we’ll lose. The natural surroundings and wildlife will be ruined!
Fairoaks is an essential part of the greenbelt that must be protect at all costs. As usual there is insufficient infrastructure planned with the huge number of planned houses. The local GP surgeries are already struggling and the local schools are bursting at the seams. The roads in the area are already too congested. It is highly irresponsible to put pressure on the local population purely to hit house building targets and to fill the pockets of the developers.
General Aviation is an important part of UK heritage. It is becoming an increasingly rare resource and once these precious airfields are closed there can never be replaced. This is not just a sentimental view. As well as serving the aviation industry, our airfields have a place in modern enterprise. The privilege of having the airfield should be embraced as an asset to future business and research projects.