Airfield (North)

Chelveston

Planning Statement

Proposed siting of two storey portable buildings to

provide office, lecture room, changing and kitchen facilities to support existing Live Fire Training Facility

for County Council Fire & Rescue Service

March 2014 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction ...... 3

2.0 Site Description ...... 5

3.0 Planning History ...... 8

4.0 Planning Policy ...... 12

5.0 Planning Analysis ...... 16

6.0 Conclusions ...... 22

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The following planning statement has been prepared in support of this planning application for a range of two storey portable buildings to support the existing live fire training facility which operates from the northern section of Chelveston Airfield as shown on the site location plan.

1.2 When the fire training facility was originally approved, the intention was to carry out the fire training itself on the existing hardstanding at the southern end of the compound use and use the existing range of four former defence buildings further to the north east to provide office, changing and lecture room facilities. However, as the training activities have become established on the site, the Fire and Rescue Service are experiencing significant operational difficulties with this arrangement. This is mainly because the former defence buildings are quite far removed ( in excess of 170m ) from the area used for training.

1.3 As the instructors demonstrate the correct application of the Cobra equipment, alongside positive pressure ventilation techniques that reduce the arduous conditions within the Cobra unit, it is essential that when entering the compartments the fire- fighter’s Personal protection Equipment (PPE) is dry. If a student incorrectly applies fire-fighting medium the conditions can worsen and this will be recorded by temperature monitoring equipment. It is imperative that the student can view in real time the incorrect application resulting temperatures and then re-apply the medium to achieve the correct results. This is achieved by returning to the classroom in the new block and viewing the temperature graph and data that has been sent directly to the computer projector screen by wireless transmitters in the Cobra unit. It would not be possible to achieve this training outcome by returning to the former defence buildings due to time and the potential exposure to the elements whereas the student could not return into the cobra unit, as PPE will need to be replaced with dry kit.

1.4 The intention therefore would be to site a two storey range of portable buildings at the south western end of the existing hardstanding area to ensure that the necessary support facilities are closer to hand for the use of fire personnel. The former defence buildings would still be used by the Fire Service for storage of equipment and supplies. Existing access arrangements would continue to be used and the fire training use itself would continue to operate within the confines of its existing planning permission.

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1.5 Uses such as this require substantial space to operate safely and without harming amenity. The Fire and Rescue Service had been looking for an appropriate site for many years but this site has been found to be suitable and is operating successfully. Training facilities such as this are vital to ensure firefighters have the ability to train for hazardous situations within a controlled environment. Following the loss of a number of firefighter’s lives in such situations recently, the need for suitable training facilities has been clearly made.

1.6 This facility allows The Service to train using new fire fighting techniques (Cold Cut Cobra) and it has been able to relocate its Fire Behaviour Training from . This has materially enhanced the training facilities at the disposal of Northamptonshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service.

1.7 Chelveston Airfield is ideal in that it is isolated from residential properties and is well screened.

1.8 The statement is set out as follows:

2.0 Site Description

3.0 Planning History

4.0 Planning Policy

5.0 Planning Analysis

6.0 Conclusion

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2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION

WIDER AIRFIELD SITE

2.1. This former RAF base, purchased in 2005, comprises some 305 Ha, 144 Ha in Northamptonshire and 161 Ha in Bedfordshire. The site is open, flat and featureless on the highest ground between the Midlands and the East Coast, ideal for its former use. Whilst the site lies in a rural setting it is not in any designated landscape areas.

2.2. The airfield is 2km (1.25 miles) south east of the village of Chelveston and 1.6km (1 mile) north of Yelden in Bedfordshire. The nearest town, Rushden is approximately 4.8 km (3 miles) to the west of the site and is an important market town, strategically located in .

2.3. Chelveston Airfield was built in 1940-1 and opened on 15 August 1941. The airfield comprised a standard RAF A-pattern airfield. In mid-1942 the airfield was established as the base for the USAAF 301st Bomb Group, replaced in December by the 305th Bomb Group. During the winter months of 1942/43 the airfield’s runways and dispersal areas were expanded to accommodate the B17s of the 305th Bomb Group. At the end of the war the airfield was returned to the RAF and from October 1945 to May 1947 it remained a sub-site of 25 Maintenance Unit. The Second World War airfield officially closed in 1947.

2.4. In 1951 it was re-commissioned to accommodate USAF B-47 capable of carrying nuclear weapons. This required the construction of a rectangular concrete apron, headquarters building and crash tender shed and a new control centre in addition to a new runway, dispersal and taxiways. On 1st December the based was handed over to the USAF . Between 1951 and 1954 the airfield was entirely re-built. The former runways and taxi-paths partially removed to accommodate the new designs. The airfield remained under the jurisdiction of the USAF until 1st August 1962.

2.5. In 1977 the runways and most of the perimeter tracks were removed to be used as hardcore in the development of Milton Keynes. Later in the year the airfield site was re-commissioned (B/TP/75/1492/A) as a Radio Transmitter site under the 81st Signals Unit. Twenty two tall transmitter masts were located within the central mast compound, consisting of 82 Ha in the centre of the site, and were sectioned off with a

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2m high chain link security fence. Although the masts have been removed, much of this infrastructure remains, including the extensive reinforced concrete foundations, wooden picket fencing surrounding each mast’s location. A further, inner area surrounded by a separate high integrity chain link security fence contains a number of good quality modern buildings which housed control rooms, generators and facilities for the recent radio mast site and its operational personnel. The aerial masts on the site of the former airfield remained in use until December 2003. In June 2005 the site was sold by Bruton Knowles selling agents.

2.6. On the north eastern corner of the airfield site, lie four former defence buildings of corrugated sheeted steel roofing – this is where the live fire training facility is based.

2.7. The majority of the site is currently used for livestock grazing by a local farmer. The concrete runways and associated dispersal points have long been removed including the control tower and hangar buildings. Some hangar bases and internal roads and taxi ways remain visible and useable. The various MOD airfield layouts resulted in the whole area of the site being built on and utilised at one time or another and whilst not necessarily visible, large areas of the site have remnants of reinforced concrete and redundant infrastructure remaining.

2.8. Former drainage systems and open lagoons present obvious dangers to the health and safety of any unsuspecting public and former fuel storage tanks and explosive ordnance storage areas present further potential hazards. The site is known to have contained former temporary asbestos buildings and fuel storage tanks with soakaways and oil traps, which have largely been removed. The site is considered brownfield and Previously Developed Land for the purposes of further development, a point accepted by Northamptonshire County Council in their determination of the previous Anaerobic Digestion proposal.

2.9. Outside of the site on the south western boundary lies a residential area formerly comprising married quarters for RAF and USAF personnel but now in private ownership. Public rights of way, bridleways and footpaths have been re-opened across the site in locations which were agreed between the MOD and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire County Councils prior to the sale of the site.

2.10. More recently in 2013 nine wind turbines have been constructed within the airfield site and are now operational. A waste recycling facility has also been constructed

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within the central part of the site and two solar photovoltaic developments are currently under construction.

SPECIFIC APPLICATION SITE

2.11. The particular part of the site relevant comprises an area at the northern end of the airfield. The site consists of existing hardstanding adjacent to and within existing woodland along with eight former defence buildings. Four lie within the woodland and four outside. All buildings are interconnected by way of existing hardstanding.

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3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

BACKGROUND

3.1. Chelveston airfield has been in defence use since the early stages of World War Two and has a very limited planning history as it benefited from Crown Immunity. It was originally opened in August 1941 by the for use as a wartime RAF base. The site was large enough to accommodate three runways, which were laid out in the then standard RAF triangular format. However, RAF Chelveston, known as Station 105, was used by the American Army Air Force (USAAF) from 6th December 1942 until 25th July 1945, for operations over German occupied Europe. The airfield was in use by the 301st and then the 305th Bombardment Groups who flew the four engine Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber.

3.2. At the end of hostilities, the airfield was briefly used as a satellite station for the 25 Maintenance Unit (MU). However, with the onset of the and the need for an American military presence to complement other allied forces, the USAF took over the airfield in December 1952. They extended the main runway to accommodate the larger and more powerful jet engine bombers, originally, Boeing B-47 Stratojets flew out of the airfield. These were then replaced by the RB-66 Destroyers of the 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing) who arrived in August 1959. In August 1962 the squadron left the airfield during what was known as Operation Clearwater, and the base was retained as a reserve airfield.

3.3. The long runway has been broken up and removed as has much of the rest of the base infrastructure. Since 1978, the majority of the site was occupied by the 81 Signals Unit who established a mast farm at the site. These masts have recently been removed although their concrete bases, anchor points and security fence remain on the site. The site was sold by the Ministry of Defence in 2005.

3.4. The site is currently owned by Chelveston Renewable Energy Limited and is being developed as a renewable energy park making use of a range of technologies including wind energy, solar photovoltaic, biomass and anaerobic digestion.

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PLANNING HISTORY

BEDFORD BOROUGH APPLICATIONS

B/TP/75/1492 (Circ. 80/71) Development of land for proposed transmitter stationAPPROVED 8-9-1975

B/TP/75/1492/A (Circ. 80/71) Detailed plans for development of land for proposed transmitter station APPROVED 29-12-1976

10/00484/MAF Construction and use of 4 ( four ) wind turbines, each 125m high to blade tip, and one anemometer mast (80m high) including construction of access tracks, turbine bases and laying of underground cables. REFUSED 28-03-11

EAST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DISTRICT APPLICATIONS

73/0120//OTR Use of building for the storage and restoration of vintage public service vehicles at shed B3 APPROVED 5-7-1973

74/0012//OTR Use of disused hangar for agricultural storage APPROVED 29-3-1974

74/00816/TMP Temporary permission for contractor’s store - Butler shed at shed B3 APPROVED 13-11-1975

75/00294/FUL Use of building for storage of vintage buses at shed B3 APPROVED 16-4- 1975

75/01076/CWN Transmitter station at the RAF Signals unit APPROVED 24-9-1975

76/00093/RWL Use of building for storage of vintage buses at shed B3 APPROVED 25-2- 1976

76/01425/CWN Proposed aerials and landscaping at the RAF Signals unit APPROVED 9-2- 1977

77/00427/FUL Use of building for storage and restoration of vintage vehicles APPROVED 25-5-1977

79/01491/FUL Additional use of hangar to store dried fruit APPROVED 24-10-1979

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80/01629/FUL Storage and restoration of vintage vehicles APPROVED 14-1-1981

80/01671/RWL Additional use of hangar to store dried fruit APPROVED 26-1-1980

82/01630/RWL Additional use of hangar to store dried fruit APPROVED 12-1-1983

84/00050/RWL Restoration and storage of vintage vehicles at shed B3 APPROVED1-2- 1984

85/01129/CWN Unmanned communication building with replacement aerial tower APPROVED 12-9-1985

86/01274/RWL Storage of preserved road vehicles at shed B3 APPROVED 5-1-1987

88/00681/CWN Communications facilities APPROVED 4-3-1988

91/00882/RWL Storage of vintage vehicles (renewal) APPROVED 6-1-1992

96/00681/CWN Avionics workshop for the RAF Signals Unit APPROVED 26-11-1996

97/00622/RWL Renewal of planning permission to continue use of building for storage and restoration of vintage vehicles at shed B3 APPROVED 19-11-1997

02/01093/CWN Repair security fence- Married family housing area APPROVED 22-2-2003

02/00965/RWL Renewal of planning permission to continue use of building for storage and restoration of vintage vehicles at shed B3 WITHDRAWN 2-12-2002

06/00251/FUL Installation of 70m-anemometer mast for temporary period of one year. APPROVED

06/01824/FUL Change of use of redundant MOD buildings for electricity generation and construction and use of ancillary plant equipment and construction and use of electricity switch room REFUSED 19-6-2007

07/00332/TMP Continuing operation of a 70m Anemometer mast for a further period of one year. Mast installed and currently operated under approval 06/00251/FUL APPROVED 30-7-2007

08/00451/FUL Change of use of redundant MOD buildings for electricity generation and switching room, construction and use of ancillary plant equipment REFUSED 10.6.08 Planning permission was granted on appeal on 3rd Jun 2009.

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EN/10/00415/FUL Development of wind farm comprising nine wind turbines, five of which are located within the district of East Northamptonshire, each 125m high to blade tip, one anemometer mast 80m high, construction of access tracks, underground cabling, visitor car park and viewing area. REFUSED 07-03-11. Granted on appeal 29.6.12.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL APPLICATIONS

NCC 08/0003/WAS Construction of biomass renewable energy plant. Approved 22nd December 2008.

3.5. This proposal is a waste to energy operation based around anaerobic digestion technology. As part of the planning permission highway improvement works have been completed to upgrade Newton Road and junctions along the southern approach route to the airfield which is the route to be used for HGV’s delivering waste to the site once operational.

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4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1. In respect of the proposed use of the site as a Fire Training facility, there are no policies referring specifically to the use proposed, just general national and local policies discussing the use of rural areas. Indeed many policies at the local level have since been removed pending the introduction of the relevant DPD. However this is somewhat delayed with only the Core Strategy in place

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY

4.2. The National Planning Policy Framework was introduced in March 2012 and supercedes all previous central government planning policy and guidance. The Framework is based around a presumption in favour of sustainable development which has three roles :  Economic  Social  Environmental

4.3 The Framework has a strong emphasis on re-using existing resources and making efficient use of brownfield land. Paragraph 69 in particular emphasise the need for the planning system to achieve safe environments.

LOCAL PLAN POLICY

4.3. Of the local level policies still in force there is only one applicable to the proposed development.

EAST NORTHANTS LOCAL PLAN 1996

POLICY AG4 – RE-USE AND ADAPTATION OF BUILDINGS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

4.4. This policy considers the issue of the re-use of buildings within the countryside.

Planning permission will be granted for the adaptation or re-use of buildings in the countryside, provided that the form, bulk and general design of the proposed scheme is in

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keeping with the character of the surrounding area, and the re-use is for employment, leisure or tourism, or residential accommodation for agriculture or forestry workers. In addition:-

(i) extensive alteration, re-building, large scale extensions and those not in keeping with the existing building will not be permitted;

(ii) structural surveys will be required for proposals relating to buildings which are unoccupied and show evidence of some dereliction;

(iii) conditions will be imposed withdrawing permitted development rights to prevent future extensions, where these would result in an adverse impact on the character of the surrounding area;

(iv) proposals which would result in an adverse impact on the amenities of surrounding land users will not be permitted;

(v) detailed drawings will be required, indicating the layout, design and external appearance of the building after conversion, the materials to be used, the means of access and landscaping proposals; and

(vi) the local highway network must be capable of satisfactorily accommodating the traffic generated by the development

NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CORE SPATIAL STRATEGY 2008

POLICY 13 – GENERAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

4.5. This policy is within the Core Strategy and is therefore relatively wide in scope and builds upon the ethos set out within the National Planning Policy Framework.

Development should meet the needs of residents and businesses without compromising the ability of future generations to enjoy the same quality of life that the present generation aspires to. Development should:

Meet needs

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a) Incorporate flexible designs for buildings and their settings, including access to amenity space, enabling them to be adapted to future needs and to take into account the needs of all users;

b) Seek to design out antisocial behaviour, crime and reduce the fear of crime by applying the principles of the “Secured by Design” scheme;

c) Maintain and improve the provision of accessible local services and community services, whilst focusing uses that attract a lot of visitors within the town centres;

d) Have a satisfactory means of access and provide for parking, servicing and manoeuvring in accordance with adopted standards;

e) Be designed to take full account of the transport user hierarchy of pedestrian-cyclist-public transport-private vehicle, and incorporate measures to contribute to an overall target of 20% modal shift in developments of over 200 dwellings and elsewhere 5% over the plan period;

f) Not lead to the loss of community facilities, unless it can be demonstrated that they are no longer needed by the community they serve and are not needed for any other community use, or that the facility is being relocated and improved to meet the needs of the new and existing community;

g) Not lead to the loss of open space or recreation facilities, unless a site of equivalent quality and accessibility can be provided, serviced and made available to the community prior to use of the existing site ceasing.

Raise standards

h) Be of a high standard of design, architecture and landscaping, respect and enhance the character of its surroundings and be in accordance with the Environmental Character of the area;

i) Create a strong sense of place by strengthening the distinctive historic and cultural qualities and townscape of the towns and villages through its design, landscaping and use of public art;

j) Be designed to promote healthier lifestyles and for people to be active outside their homes and places of work;

k) Allow for travel to home, shops, work and school on foot and by cycle and public transport.

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Protect assets

l) Not result in an unacceptable impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties or the wider area, by reason of noise, vibration, smell, light or other pollution, loss of light or overlooking;

m) Be constructed and operated using a minimum amount of non-renewable resources including where possible the reuse of existing structures and materials;

n) Not have an adverse impact on the highway network and will not prejudice highway safety;

o) Conserve and enhance the landscape character, historic landscape designated built environmental assets and their settings, and biodiversity of the environment making reference to the Environmental Character Assessment and Green Infrastructure Strategy;

p) Not sterilise known mineral reserves or degrade soil quality;

q) Not cause a risk to (and where possible enhance) the quality of the underlying groundwater or surface water, or increase the risk of flooding on the site or elsewhere, and where possible incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and lead to a reduction in flood risk.

4.6 Work has started on a revised Core Strategy but this is not due to be submitted to the Secretary of State until August 2014.

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5.0 PLANNING ANALYSIS

5.1. This application seeks planning permission to site a range of two storey portable buildings which will support the existing live fire training facility which is operating from the site. Training takes place within a number of standard ISO containers located on the existing hardstanding. The containers accommodate two facets of the training system, a Fire Behaviour Training (FBT) unit and ‘Cold Cut COBRA’. A training ‘villa’ is also planned which will allow various scenarios to be created and trained upon and would be a significant enhancement to the training facilities available.

5.2. Cold Cut COBRA is a relatively new fire-fighting technology, which NFRS have begun to use as part of their structural firefighting strategy, and requires structured training in order to utilise it to its fullest extent. The use of the site has allowed the introduction of a high quality training facility which has materially improved the ability of the service to use this breakthrough firefighting technique.

THE EXISTING TRAINING FACILITIES

5.3. FBT involves the reproduction of realistic fire conditions in a controlled environment giving firefighters a practical experience of gas cooling and fire fighting techniques. This helps to recreate many of the challenges facing firefighters in modern buildings which are designed to be airtight with high levels of insulation and create many challenges not normally seen in older buildings.

5.4. The need for FBT was highlighted following the deaths of a number of firefighters whilst responding to structural fires. Previously fires such as this would not have presented the same level of risks. However, modern building designs have changed the behaviour of structural fires and there is a need to train specifically for these situations and to develop new fire fighting techniques to save lives.

5.5. COBRA is a high pressure water jet which can breach concrete walls, brick, timber and steel plate which means a reduced risk to firefighters when dealing with fires within structures. The small droplet size generated by the high pressure jet results in the fire being extinguished quickly and with the use of a minimal amount of water.

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5.6. In relation to Phase 1 training, a number of ISO containers (12.5m x 3m) are required for the training facilities themselves. Two containers are linked to the FBT training while another two (connected with a fabricated steel pitched roof) are specifically for COBRA training.

5.7. The two FBT containers have separate functions, with one being a demonstrator unit and one an attack container unit. Each container is primed with up to twelve 8x4 100% wood boards, which results in fire of a high temperature such that most of the smoke is re-burnt and only a lean plume containing mostly steam is produced. The ‘Cobra Unit’, which is phase 2, would enable a more complex and realistic training environment which would accurately reflect real world scenarios, simulating compartment fires in domestic and commercial structures over 2 storeys.

5.8. The demonstrator unit is used to demonstrate pyrolysis, fire development and gas cooling techniques. The attack container provides firefighters with practical experience of the effects of gas cooling and fire fighting techniques enabling realistic door entry practice. COBRA practice would be undertaken with cinder blocks used to simulate a wall to the front of the container such that firefighters are able to practice utilising the system to its fullest extent.

5.9. It is proposed that in phase two of the training programme, further ISO containers will be used to enable firefighters to apply all the component training within scenario based advance training (the villa) . The aim would be to create a structure which simulates realistic conditions within a range of different buildings. Twelve ISO containers would be sited three abreast and two long with the same again on top of each other with steel access stairs to simulate a two storey structure. Different exercises would then be set based on different scenarios.

5.10. The existing former defence buildings are to be used for general storage associated with the use. The portable buildings currently proposed are to provide accommodation for the firefighters and instructors themselves and will include instructor and student changing and shower facilities, office space, kitchen and canteen, and lecture room.

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PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPMENT

5.11. The portable buildings proposed are to provide essential support accommodation for the existing live fire training facility. Previously the accommodation proposed was to be provided within the existing defence buildings on the site. However, these are some distance from the area where the training itself takes place and operationally, there are significant disadvantages to having such accommodation so far away. There is a good case therefore to have the buildings proposed located close to the training area.

5.12. The overarching aim of national planning policy is to encourage sustainable development - a key part is the re-use of previously developed land and the re-use of existing buildings where possible. Therefore the principle of the re-use of sites for alternative uses is considered acceptable at both local and national policy level. Commercial uses are considered more appropriate than residential uses in rural areas and the proposed use falls more towards a commercial / community use than a residential use. Siting the buildings on the existing area of hard-standing constitutes the re-use of brownfield land.

5.13. As such the principle of the use in this location should be considered acceptable. A key part is the consideration of whether the site is considered to be brownfield / previously developed.

BROWNFIELD STATUS OF THE SITE

5.14. In the Development Control Practice Guide brownfield land is defined as

“…land which is already developed, as opposed to land which has never been developed (greenfield land). The term may be extended to apply to land which has been developed in the past but is now cleared.”

5.15. The application site has been extensively used in the past for defence uses and was previously part of an extensive network of runways, concrete taxi-ing aprons, hangars and buildings which were associated with its use as a military airfield. Upon

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this particular site, which forms part of the wider airfield the majority of the hardstanding remains along with a number of former defence buildings which have previously been approved for re-use. While the majority of these hard surfaces and buildings have been removed from the wider site, a significant proportion of them still remain along with the underground infrastructure such as cable ducts and runway drainage systems.

5.16. The site is clearly not a greenfield site which has never been developed. Rather, it is a brownfield site and falls within the definition referred to above. Moreover the site can also be considered as Previously Developed Land and falls within the definition included in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

5.17. It can be seen that this definition of Previously Developed Land can be applied to the site. It clearly was in defence use until recently and there are the remains of useable former defence buildings still on the site. It cannot be argued that the site has naturally reverted back into the landscape in the process of time – there are obvious remains of various defence related structures littered over the site. The site is currently in agricultural (grazing) use but this use co-existed with the previous defence use as an ancillary use while the site was used as an aerial site. The farming value of the land has been vastly undermined by the previous defence use due to soil disturbance and infrastructure left behind.

5.18. There is a raft of government policy encouraging the appropriate re-use and redevelopment of brownfield and Previously Developed Land in preference to greenfield sites and to re-use existing buildings and structures within the rural area in place of new construction.

5.19. The proposal therefore also benefits from the support of policies encouraging the re- use of brownfield and Previously Developed Land in preference to greenfield sites along with re-using existing buildings and structures within the rural area. The application site should therefore be considered more favourably than similar proposals on greenfield land or mixed greenfield/brownfield land.

5.20. As well as general policy support, there is also a significant community benefit in support of the proposal. The efficient operation of the fire training facility will allow the County’s firefighters to train safely in a controlled environment. This will have three major benefits. Firstly, it will increase their general levels of skills and

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experience and allow them to tackle real-time emergencies more effectively. Secondly, it will allow them to work more safely in what are challenging and dangerous situations where there is a significant risk of harm and injury. Thirdly, it will allow them to serve the community more effectively and prevent unnecessary loss of life and property.

SUMMARY

5.21. The training use itself is more akin to a commercial/community reuse and is thus considered acceptable in principle in this location. The buildings will be located on existing previously developed land and no new areas of hard-standing are required

VISUAL IMPACT

5.22. The site is located within a fairly remote part of the airfield and is not close to any of the public rights of way which run through it. The north west boundary is currently defined by a chain link fence and dense, high mature hedge which screens the site effectively in more distant views of the site from the north and north west along Kiimbolton Road. The height of the portable buildings will be 6.8m which means that their upper portions may protrude slightly above the height of the existing hedging. However, this would still effectively soften views from longer distance views into the site from the north west. To the north and north east, the portable buildings would be entirely screened from view by the existing woodland.

5.23. Given the relative lack of proximity of any public viewpoints to the site, or the presence of any dwellings and taking into account the presence of the existing hedge and adjacent woodland it is not considered that the portable buildings would have a materially harmful impact upon the character and appearance of the area.

IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL AMENITY

5.24. The site is located at the north end of the airfield and accordingly is over 1300m from the nearest dwelling (southeast). The topography of the site is such that the majority of the development would not be visible to any nearby dwellings.

ACCESS AND PARKING

PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 20 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

5.25. Access to the site will be obtained through the main southern access on to the airfield and along the main private road running north/south through the airfield. These access arrangements already deal with the waste recycling use operating in the middle portion of the site and will be more than adequate to deal with the fairly limited number of vehicle generated by this use. The highway improvements required as part of the planning permission for the waste recycling use have already been implemented.

5.26. Parking would be on the existing hard-standing just to the north east of where the portable buildings will be sited. This will be more than sufficient for the present and future use of the site.

5.27. Accordingly the access and parking provisions are considered acceptable.

PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 21 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

6.1. The proposed portable buildings will provide an essential range of ancillary floorspace which will provide space for office, changing, kitchen and lecture room facilities. These will support the efficiency of the existing live fire training facility and contribute positively to the welfare of both trainers and trainees. The principle of the proposal is acceptable as it makes use of existing hard standing areas and is located within a former military airfield which is both brownfield and previously developed land. Of material consideration is the benefit generated by improving the existing live fire training facilities which are unique to Northamptonshire, helping to materially improve the ability of the County’s firefighters to deal with hazardous situations, improve the safety of their working conditions and increase their ability to save life.

6.2. The proposal would not result in harm to the character of the surrounding countryside or its visual appearance.

6.3. The proposal is a sustainable form of development which makes valuable use of part of this former military airfield and delivers a material benefit to firefighters in Northamptonshire and the wider community. We therefore commend the proposals to the Council.

PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 22 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

Chelveston Airfield

Chelveston

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