Address:       Land north of Cranfield Airport, College Road (nearest postcode MK43 0AH)

Hybrid planning application relating to: Full planning application relating to proposed Air Park facility (Phase 1) to include 2 no. of aircraft hangars with ancillary atrium and offices; 1 no. of Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Airport Terminal building; 1 no. of ground support building; 1 no. of Class B1 office building; 1 no. of biomass energy centre; 1 no. of security gatehouse; 1 no. of fuel storage area; and associated development to include new roundabout junction, public art installations, runway resurfacing, airport apron, new taxi way link, perimeter fencing, landscaping, car parking and accesses. Outline planning application relating to proposed Air Park facility (Phase 2) to include 3 no. of aircraft hangars; 1 no. of hotel; and associated development to include airport apron, new taxi way link, perimeter fencing, landscaping, car parking (with all matters reserved except for layout and access).

Applicant:     Cranfield University and London Cranfield Jet Centre Ltd

The Committee had before it a report regarding Planning Application CB/17/05862/OUT, a hybrid planning application relating to: Full planning application relating to proposed Air Park facility (Phase 1) to include 2 no. of aircraft hangars with ancillary atrium and offices; 1 no. of Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Airport Terminal building; 1 no. of ground support building; 1 no. of Class B1 office building; 1 no. of biomass energy centre; 1 no. of security gatehouse; 1 no. of fuel storage area; and associated development to include new roundabout junction, public art installations, runway resurfacing, airport apron, new taxi-way link, perimeter fencing, landscaping, car parking and accesses. Outline planning application relating to proposed Air Park facility (Phase 2) to include 3 no. of aircraft hangars; 1 no. of hotel; and associated development to include airport apron, new taxi-way link, perimeter fencing, landscaping, car parking (with all matters reserved except for layout and access) on land north of Cranfield Airport, College Road.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee’s attention was drawn to additional consultation/publicity responses, additional comments and additional/amended conditions as set out in the Late Sheet.

During the planning officer’s introduction a Member sought clarification on the officer’s statement that the scheme was predominantly for private jets.  The Member asked if larger sized jets, such as Boeing 737s, were likely to make use of the proposed development.  In response the planning officer advised that 737s were already licensed to use Cranfield Airport and facilities existed to allow them to do so.  However, given that the business jet use of this aircraft was limited to very wealthy individuals, he believed that 737s would be less frequent visitors than the smaller business jets, such as those produced by the Gulfstream company.  The planning officer emphasised that the sound contour model had used the Hawker 800XP jet, which was noisier than a 737, and the model therefore represented a ‘worst case scenario’.

In advance of consideration of this item the Committee received representations from Cranfield Parish Council, objectors to the application and

the applicants under the public participation scheme.

A Member sought clarification from the Parish Council representative regarding the age of the existing buildings at the airport.   The Member stated that they appeared to date from the 1950’s and 60’s rather than the Second World War and therefore appeared more significant than a simple grass airstrip used by the Royal Air Force (RAF).  In response the Parish Council representative advised that the Airfield had been built in the 1930’s, originally as a RAF training facility, and had been used as such during the war.  It had been decommissioned after the war and used for aeronautical research, though also retained for use as an airport and mainly used by private flying schools employing small aircraft.  He stressed that that the airport was no longer used by the RAF, one runway had been reduced in length because of the construction of the nearby Nissan facility and its use as an airport had shrunk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 153