Chelveston 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 Northamptonshire 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 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 2 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 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. PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 3 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 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 High Wycombe. 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 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 4 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 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 East Northamptonshire. 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 bombers 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 Third Air Force. 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 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD ON BEHALF OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE 5 A104205 – CHELVESTON AIRFIELD (NORTH), CHELVESTON PLANNING, DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 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.