Martin-Baker safe as Chalgrove Airfield approved for new town

Chalgrove Airfield in South Oxfordshire is to be redeveloped as a new town – but there will be a new runway, apron and a business area to enable ejection seat company Martin-Baker to continue to operate there.

The local district council says it was ‘forced’ to adopt a Local Plan for the area after Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, ‘ordered’ the council to adopt its plans by December or face further government intervention.

Jenrick said there was a ‘clear case’ to intervene because of the authority’s lack of progress and housing pressures in the area, according to BBC local news.

Homes England, a govt body set up to ‘accelerate’ house building, has created a masterplan for the airfield site to ‘deliver a new 21^st Century Market Town’.

“Our plans for Chalgrove Airfield will meet local housing needs and improves access to employment, community facilities and local services for local residents,” says Homes England.

Homes England’s plan for the new market town to be built on Chalgrove Airfield. Image: Homes England

The new town will be delivered in phases over 10-15 years and includes:

• 3,000 new homes including 1,200 affordable homes
• Safeguarding the operations and future expansion of Martin Baker
• Two 2 form entry primary schools  An 8 form entry secondary school and 6 th form college enabling the relocation and expansion of Icknield Community College
• A new town centre with shops, leisure facilities, community hub, cultural space and a public square
• 5ha of employment land, which combined with the town centre will provide for 40,000sqm of dedicated employment space and the creation of more than 1,000 new jobs
• A network of pedestrian and cycle routes
• Publicly accessible open space, including parks, green lanes, children’s play areas and allotments.

Chalgrove Airfield is a former WWII airfield, located east of Oxford and adjacent to the village of Chalgrove.

The airfield originally had three operational runways and a number of hangers and aircraft dispersal pads. These have been gradually reduced and there is now only one CAA licenced runway, used almost exclusively by Martin-Baker.

The company is a world-leader in the design and manufacture of ejection and crashworthy seats, saving more than 7,600 lives and receiving 11 Queen’s Awards. More than 17,000 B-B seats are currently in service.

Martin-Baker