Old Sarum Airfield boss Grenville Hodge on new homes plan

Speaking exclusively to the Journal, Mr Grenville Hodge said he is "absolutely" satisfied that the latest application is more acceptable to the authorities and to the existing community based on the changes they have made. 

It comes after Mr Hodge formally submitted proposals for approximately 315 homes, with a "mixture of employment, commercial/leisure and aviation uses", including a control tower, heritage centre, visitor centre, café/restaurant, parachute centre, aviation archives and aircraft hangars.

A new masterplan went on display earlier this year, followed by a public consultation. 

An artist's impression of how Old Sarum area B will look if the plans were approved (Image: Feilden + Mawson)

A previous application submitted in 2015 - and the subsequent appeal in 2018/19 -  were both refused. 

After an inquiry, an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government refused planning permission, stating "the proposed development would represent an erosion of the open character and appearance of the Airfield Conservation Area, the setting of the listed hangars and that of the Old Sarum [Scheduled Ancient Monument".

Mr Hodge told the Journal: "The real outstanding issue was heritage, and I think we have come up with a great scheme. It is smaller, which makes viability more difficult, but we can work with that, and so I think overall the scheme is a good scheme."

“We were clearly very disappointed to lose the appeal, but subsequently, having a really close look at the inspector’s comments, what we’ve tried to is move on the positive comments and then address the negative comments.

The key issue for the inspector was Area A, the area closest to the ancient monument. We worked very hard to change Area A, and reduced it in scale, which they were keen for us to do.

"We then worked very hard with Historic England to put a design together which they thought helps support the setting of the historic buildings."

World War One hangar

Grade-II listed World War One hangar at Old Sarum Airfield in 2020 (Image: Save Old Sarum Twitter)

Mr Hodge also said they will "completely rebuild" the World War One hangar on the site of the airfield, which he admits has deteriorated over the last several years. 

But only if planning permission is granted.

"The cost of rebuilding the hangar was always one of the key elements of doing what we are doing", he said. 

Mr Hodge says the cost of rebuilding the hangar is around £3million.

"What we will do is we will use that hangar to house historic aircraft. The whole intention has always been to use that to regenerate what I call the historic core of the airfield, which is the old World War One building, and as much as possible bring it back to what it was 100-years ago."

He also hopes that aviation noise from a commercially viable airfield won't be a problem for future residents: "We have done a huge amount of work to understand the noise from aviation, from every source, and therefore we put houses where they won't be disturbed by aviation noise."

An artists impression of how Old Sarum area A will look if the plans were approved (Image: Feilden + Mawson)

Core Policy 25

In the latest local plan, Wiltshire Council is proposing that Core Policy 25 is removed. 

The plan provides an overarching planning policy framework, and core policy 25 provides a specific framework for development at Old Sarum Airfield. 

Although the new local plan is currently going through the consultation process and has, according to Mr Hodge, "little weight" on this application, they will be making representations against any future removal of the policy. 

He said: "The base upon which they are seeking to remove it – that harm to both the airfield conservation area and setting of Old Sarum could not be satisfactorily mitigated – is wrong. We know that it can be because we have worked with Historic England.”

Mr Hodge added he hopes that based on the public and commercial consultations they have held, the plans will be approved.

"We will still have people who are against it, but there are people who recognise that what we are doing is a positive thing." 

To view the plans, click here.