Fresh airport hangar homes plans follow 2018 refusal
‘I don’t see any justification for not going ahead with this’ – developer
PLANS for six hangars – which would also double-up as housing – and a heritage centre at Solent Airport have been put forward to Gosport Borough Council.
Hangar Homes has resubmitted an application to develop on land to the west of the control tower at Solent Airport, following a failed application to the council last year.
Now, the application will go back before the council, with an additional hangar and a heritage centre.
The hangar would be a mix of aviation and leisure, with a Velocity kit craft in each hangar, which would be built by students at CEMAST.
Developer Peter Day says he is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the new application will be sucessful, having made changes based on feedback he was given.
He said: ‘One of the reasons for refusal last year was that the five units wouldn’t provide sufficient housing, so we’ve added an extra one.
‘We’ve also added the heritage centre, which complements the other units; Fareham Borough Council has already said that it wants a heritage centre so this would provide that for them.
‘It would be a difficult site to use in most circumstances, but it is the perfect place for hangar homes.’
To receive planning permission for the site, Mr Day will need approval from both Gosport Borough Council and Fareham Borough Council, which owns the land.
Mr Day believes the hangar homes would be a ‘real asset’ to the area, despite the application being thrown out by councillors last time.
He says he did not discuss the new application with either Gosport or Fareham Borough Councils, but has taken on board their previous thoughts
He said: ‘We were close to getting planning permission from Gosport Borough Council last time and with the addition of a heritage centre, Fareham Borough Council may be a bit more amenable.
‘Their vision for a commercial airfield won’t happen because of Southampton Airport being a few miles up the road.
‘But we could make Solent Airport the best general aviation site in the UK, with the right facilities.’
‘It’s a win-win for everybody so I don’t see any justification for not going ahead with this.’