Hampshire County Council
Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee Item 6
14 September 1999
Hampshire Airfields
Report of the County Surveyor and
Head of Economic Development
1. Summary
1.1 This report, requested by Members of this Sub-Committee at
the meeting on 10 June 1999, provides a summary of aviation
activities at the remaining airfields in Hampshire following
earlier reports on Southampton, Farnborough and Bournemouth.
2. Civil Airfields
2.1 The three major airports serving the business and leisure
markets of Hampshire and the surrounding area are
Southampton International, Bournemouth International and
Farnborough. Activities at these airports were covered in
previous reports to this Sub-Committee on 11 March 1999
(Southampton), 29 April 1999 (Farnborough) and 10 June 1999
(Bournemouth).
2.2 The remaining civil airfields in Hampshire are primarily
used for general aviation activities and recreational
flying. The principal locations are Blackbushe, Thruxton,
Lasham and Popham (see attached plan for locations of these
airfields and others mentioned in the report).
Blackbushe Airport
2.3 Operated by Blackbushe Airport Limited, this is located on
the A30 between Blackwater and Hartley Wintney. It is a
general aviation airfield used by air taxi and business
charters, together with professional flying training schools
and recreational flying. The airfield caters for both
fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Air Hanson provides
maintenance and sales. The airfield has two runways, a main
east-west asphalt runway approximately 1,342 metres in
length and a grass runway on a similar alignment,
approximately 500 metres in length. Flying operations are
restricted at the airport by a Section 52 (108) Agreement
with Hart District Council. The vehicle auction business is
located adjacent to the airport on land previously part of
the operational airfield.
Thruxton Airfield
2.4 Located on the A303 trunk road between Andover and Amesbury,
it is operated by Western Air Training Limited and is used
mainly by commercial flying schools for both fixed wing
aircraft and helicopters. There are two runways, one asphalt
770 metres long on an east-west alignment and the other
grass on a north-west/south-east alignment, approximately
750 metres long. Employment on the airfield includes that
associated with the motor racing circuit, the flight centre,
helicopter maintenance, gliding and parachuting.
Lasham Airfield
2.5 Situated on the A339 between Alton and Basingstoke, this is
the country's major gliding centre and provides residential
courses. The airfield was purchased in March 1999 by the
Lasham Gliding Society from the Ministry of Defence, which
still occupies part of the site for non-aviation related
purposes. ATC Lasham Limited (ATC) undertakes heavy
maintenance and servicing for multi-engined passenger,
freight and corporate aircraft on the site previously
occupied by Dan-Air Engineering and FLS Aerospace Limited.
This 21 acre (8.49 hectare) site consists of 160,000 square
feet (14,860 square metres) of buildings. The facility is
occupied by ATC on lease. The company is considering new
investment to upgrade the single 1,797 metre long asphalt
runway and air traffic aids. Staff employed total 190
including apprentices, increasing by an additional 65
temporary workers to cover peak work periods. The staff
include certificated aircraft engineers and 12 apprentices.
The company is permitted 10 aircraft movements per week on
the runway. There is also a small private museum of
military aircraft.
Popham Airfield
2.6 Adjacent to the A303 trunk road between Basingstoke and
Andover, this is used by recreation/private light aircraft
and microlights. A microlight training school is based at
the airfield. A small aircraft maintenance facility is
based in part of one of the hangars. The main grass runway
runs east-west parallel with the A303, and is approximately
914 metres long. A second north-east/south-west grass
runway, some 900 metres long, is available but its use is
limited by agreement with Basingstoke and Deane Borough
Council.
3. Smaller Airfields and Airstrips
3.1 There are also a number of smaller airfields and airstrips
in the county which have a few based aircraft and these are
listed below. The list is believed to be correct, however
farm strips by their very nature are not permanent and
appear or disappear with some regularity:
(i) Boarhunt - 2.4 kilometres north of the M27 Junction
11;
(ii) Bossington - 1.6 kilometres south of Houghton;
(iii) Bramshill (Hatchgate Farm) - north-west of Bramshill
Police College;
(iv) Chilbolton (Stonefield Park) - 1.6 kilometres south
of the village;
(v) Durley - south of Durley village;
(vi) East Tytherley (Oaklands Farm) - south of the
village;
(vii) Enham Alamein (Bourne Park) - 1 kilometre north of
the village;
(viii) Hannington (Walkeridge Farm) - 1.6 kilometres west
of Hannington;
(ix) Hook (Scotland Farm) - next to the M3 Junction 5;
(x) Hursley (Farley Farm) - north-west of Hursley
village;
(xi) Kitcombe - just south of Lower Farrington village;
(xii) Liphook (Foley Farm) - 0.8 kilometres south-west of
Liphook;
(xiii) Lower Upham - south of the village next to the
B2177;
(xiv) Lower Upham (Roughay Farm) - north of Lower Upham;
(xv) Lymington (Pilley) - just north of the B3054;
(xvi) Morestead - just north of Owslebury village;
(xvii) Odiham (Valentines Farm) - north of the village,
south of the A287;
(xviii) Roundwood - close to Popham airfield north of the
A303
(xix) Tadley (Hawley Farm) - south of the village, west of
the A340; and
(xx) Warnford (Bere Farm) - 1.6 kilometres north of the
village.
Employment at the smaller Hampshire airfields and airstrips
is low, mainly associated with air traffic control, airfield
management and the flying schools. It is difficult to
envisage any development at these locations in the county
that will provide any significant employment opportunities
or contribution to the local economy.
4. Military Airfields
4.1 In addition to the civil airport and airfields in sections 2
and 3 above and the previous committee reports, there are
airfields operated by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy
and the Army Air Corps.
RAF Odiham
4.2 Located on the B3349 to the south of the village, this is
the major Chinook helicopter base in the county. It has an
east-west main asphalt runway approximately 1,838 metres in
length. At the present time in the order of 1,100 people
are employed at the base.
Middle Wallop
4.3 An all grass airfield operated by the British Army, this is
the headquarters of the Army Air Corps where intensive
helicopter flying is undertaken. The Museum of Army Flying
is located on the edge of the airfield adjacent to the A343.
Staff employed total 1,100-1,300 with military and civilian
staff equally split.
Defence Aviation Repair Agency
4.4 At Fleetlands, located on the A32 between Fareham and
Gosport, this undertakes helicopter maintenance for all
three services. Staff employed at this facility total
approximately 1,100 almost entirely civilian personnel.
The Former Royal Navy Air Station at Lee-on-the-Solent (HMS
Daedalus)
4.5 This has been declared as surplus to requirements. The
airfield has three runways, the main metalled runway on a
south-west/north-east alignment and approximately 1,309
metres long, with the other two approximately 1,000 metres
in length. The airfield is the base for the Coastguard
helicopter and Hampshire Police fixed wing aircraft
operations. The southern part of the airfield site, which
contains the main building complex, is located in the
administrative area of Gosport Borough Council and the
remaining operational part, including the runways, within
the Fareham Borough Council area. The southern part of the
site is likely to be redeveloped as a mixed use development
comprising a business park, residential, retail and leisure.
The airfield site contains a large deposit of sand and
gravel and this was discussed at the Minerals and Waste
Local Plan Inquiry. The Inspector concluded that the
current uncertainty as to the future of aviation at the
site, and its role in assisting economic regeneration, needs
to be resolved before any part of the site is identified for
mineral working. The site has yet to be marketed by the
Defence Land Agency.
5. Future Demand
5.1 The recession of the early 1990s resulted in a reduction in
the business use of the larger turbo-prop aircraft and
business jets. However, in the last few years there have
been signs of a revival in activity in business aviation and
this is anticipated to continue over the next 10 years. A
similar trend seems likely in recreational flying.
Recommendation
That the Sub-Committee notes and agrees that this report be combined
with the previous reports on Southampton International Airport,
Farnborough Aerodrome and Bournemouth International Airport into
one document.
5351/LIN
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