The Save Nottingham City Airfield group has responded to the announcement by Vistry Group to issue notice to cease operations at Tollerton Airport.
Sarah Deacon who organised and launched the group too The Wire:
‘It’s cruel and cynical to affect dozens of lives like this for no gain.
‘Forcing businesses to close, making people redundant, cancelling apprenticeships, cutting training short
‘And all of this when planning permission hasn’t even been considered, let alone granted!
‘Just because a site is allocated in a Local Plan for housing, it does NOT mean it will automatically get planning permission. There are so so many factors to consider- and things that might not have been known at the time the site went into the plan.
‘We need to let Vistry know, loud and clear, how much of a PR disaster forcing the closure of the airfield is.’
There is a protest planned by the group at the airfield on Friday 7 March at 1 pm.
Brian Wells who owns Truman Aviation the airport operator said:
‘The developers were determined to have everywhere shut down for when they came to planning, “We agreed we’d have two to five years here before they would take over.
“They even suggested they could keep one runway open for us. But the main board of developers say they’ve had enough of all these people protesting and decided to shut it down sooner rather than later. We were hoping not to get this for a couple of years and it’s very sad those plans backfired.”
The site has been part of land designated for potential development in the draft Rushcliffe Local Plan for a decade.
Developer Vistry Homes owns the land on which the airfield operates.
Speaking in December to West Bridgford Wire Brian Wells having issued a letter to businesses and aircraft owners – he said:
‘Vistry Homes, the property development company that purchased the majority of the land at Tollerton Airport several years ago, has always maintained that the airport could continue operating until such time as the land was required for housing development.
‘However, due to ongoing opposition to their planning application, Vistry Homes now anticipates that the application may need to be appealed. As a result, they have decided to proceed with plans to close the airport and secure the site, ensuring that any potential planning inspector can clearly see that the airport no longer exists.
‘This decision is particularly disappointing, as Vistry Homes had initially expressed a strong desire for the airport to remain operational until construction work on the site began. In fact, the company had even proposed the possibility of keeping one runway open, provided that construction activities did not interfere with its operation.
‘There are also growing concerns among some business leaders about the potential for an economic recession, which could lead to further delays in the development process.
‘As a consequence of these developments, aircraft owners and businesses at the airfield, who might have previously had up to two years to relocate, are now faced with a much tighter timeline. The airport is scheduled to close in April 2025, largely due to the opposition to the planning permission.
© Peter Langridge
A spokesperson for Vistry told The Wire this week:
“With the site having been allocated for development a decade ago, we are keen to progress our plans and commence construction of the new homes, subject to planning permission.
“Vistry is working closely with Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance about the redevelopment of Tollerton Airfield. We have agreed to work together to maintain a safe landing site which will ensure that the current air ambulance service can continue during the initial phase of development.”
“Vistry’s site forms part of the wider allocation which ensures that infrastructure is delivered alongside the new homes providing new schools, sports facilities, green spaces, employment land and community facilities. We estimate that some 500 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction stage of Vistry’s application, and once the full site allocation is completed some 1,450 jobs are expected to be created.”
The spokesperson continued, “We have worked closely with the Council on this comprehensive development and have consulted widely with the local community. We look forward to making further progress on these plans and providing Rushcliffe residents with much needed new and affordable homes and employment opportunities.”
The plan is for 4,000 new homes, enhanced public amenities, and significant green infrastructure but has ignited local controversy due to the imminent closure of Nottingham City Airport, a site steeped in both aviation history and community identity.
The Gamston Fields development is part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Local Plan, which identifies land east of Gamston and north of Tollerton as a key strategic site. The Local Plan aims to deliver 2,500 homes by 2028, with an additional 1,500 homes in subsequent years. The Gamston Fields project will form a major component of this broader vision, alongside employment land and community infrastructure.
Here are the planning documents
See the full Design & Access statement here
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