Rougham Airfield

Please see a correspondence from Rougham Estate. This statement was due to be read out during the public forum of the council meeting held on the 20th of March. Unfortunately as Chairman I was unable to release the statement as it had not been forwarded to myself by the Parish Clerk.

 

Thank you for your invite to your parish council meeting on the 20^th of March 2023. Unfortunately I am unable to attend but please see below a statement from Rougham Estate regarding the situation on Rougham Airfield:

 

“The costs associated with insuring, running and safely maintaining Rougham Airfield – as well as ensuring the required legal compliance - have increased very substantially in recent years, and this will only continue. 

After much consideration, Rougham Estate has therefore come to the conclusion that it is, unfortunately, simply no longer viable to maintain the land as an active airfield.

The fixed term agreements signed by existing tenants will therefore not be extended beyond the current agreed terms and the airfield will not be used for aircraft operations after 31 May 2023.

Rougham Estate has been in discussion with the existing tenants – including Skyward Flight Training - and will continue to support all tenants in any way it can as part of their relocation.

The site has been through different configurations and uses since the Second World War – including a long period as farmland. The wartime concrete runways were broken up over 60 years ago and the existing grass runway has only been in place since the 1996.

The site is included as a preferred option in West Suffolk Council’s draft Local Plan with a proposed allocation for a mix of residential and employment uses. A consultation on the preferred options is due to take place later in 2023 and all interested parties will be able to submit comments at this stage. 

Crest Nicholson have an option to promote the site in this respect and have made clear that their vision would be developed further in consultation with the local community, with a suitable mix of development and public open space and a reflection of the site’s aviation history. 

None of this affects The Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum. The control tower building and radar hut are Grade II Listed and is rented to the museum on a very long lease. It is outside the boundary of the site that is subject to consultation.” End.

  

Kind Regards

 

Simon

Simon Eddell 

Estate Manager