During Thursdays Full Council meeting, Conservative Councillor Richard Butler (Cotgrave Division) spoke out in support of campaigners fighting to save the historic Nottingham City Airport (Tollerton).
Addressing the chamber, Cllr Butler expressed his disappointment and frustration with the way the developer has handled the situation.
The historic airfield, which opened in 1929 and served as RAF Tollerton during World War II, has long been a hub for general aviation, training, and community life. It is currently under threat from a major housing development proposed by developers, who have submitted a broad planning application to Rushcliffe Borough Council. However, no planning permission has yet been granted.
Despite this, the applicant has already served notice to tenants on the site, including aviation businesses and local employers, forcing them to vacate by June 6, 2025, well before any planning decision has been made.
“I share the disappointment and frustration of many hundreds, probably thousands, of people who care about this site,” said Cllr Butler. “The applicants have, in my view, jumped the gun — forcing out long-standing businesses, shutting down aviation activities, and creating unnecessary uncertainty for the wider community, all before a single planning decision has even been taken. That is simply not on.”
Cllr Butler described the closure of the popular Chocks Away café as a particular loss.
The café, run by a local constituent, had become a well-loved gathering place for aviation enthusiasts, families, and pilots, offering refreshments with a view of the airfield in action. It is now closed, along with other on-site businesses, resulting in lost jobs and disrupted livelihoods.
“These businesses took risks, invested in the site, and contributed to the local economy and community character,” Cllr Butler added. “To be pushed out under these circumstances — ahead of planning permission — shows a disregard for that contribution.”
He also noted the historic and strategic importance of the airfield, highlighting its use by emergency services, including the air ambulance, and its role in training generations of pilots — many of whom went on to fly commercially around the world.
The developers plans rely in part on acquiring land adjacent to the airfield that is currently owned by Nottinghamshire County Council. This land forms part of the area identified in the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan for potential development. Thanks to lobbying from Cllr Butler, the previous Conservative administration made no plans to sell the land, this decision now rests with the Reform-led administration at County Hall.
Cllr Butler concluded his remarks by acknowledging the efforts of the Save Nottingham (Tollerton) Airfield campaign, who held a demonstration at County Hall in April.
“These campaigners care deeply, they are well-informed, and they deserve to be taken seriously. Their concerns go beyond nostalgia — they are about jobs, heritage, and the future shape of our community.”
RELATED
• Tollerton Airport: Rushcliffe MP meets Vistry over airfield site closure
• Tollerton Airport plans: Council issues update and clarifies position
• Tollerton Airport: ‘Cruel and cynical move’ to close airport earlier than required, say protesters
• Tollerton Airfield: Developers serve notice on airport operators to cease operations
•
