Policy I/AD: Aviation development

1. Aviation development at Cambridge Airport will only be supported where it would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment and on residential amenity. 

2. In assessing any planning applications for new airfields or flying sites, or for the expansion or intensification of use of any existing airfields or flying sites, the Local Planning Authority will take account of the following factors: 

  a. The economic, employment or emergency services advantages likely to accrue to the area; 

  b. The likely noise impact of the proposal on local residents and the users / occupiers of any other noise-sensitive buildings in the area, including (where relevant) any cumulative impacts of flying in the area; 

  c. Any resulting increase in the range of recreation provision in the area; 

  d. Any safety issues arising from the proposal, including the safety of users of public rights of way close to, or crossing, the site; 

  e. The effect of the proposal on sites with the potential for renewable energy generation. 

3. Aircraft noise impacts, including engine testing, will usually need to be assessed in terms of aircraft noise exposure contours values for daytime and night-time using the noise metrics, Lden (day-evening-night average), LAeq,16h (daytime- 0700 to 2300hrs) and LAeq,8hr (nighttime- 2300 to 0700hrs), to assess the impact of aircraft noise , supplemented as appropriate by other considerations such as a single event levels (SELs) of individual events. 

4 .In assessing the impact of noise, consideration will be given, where relevant, to the types of flying activities that are proposed at the site (or are likely to be associated with it), e.g. aerobatics, aero-towing, ballooning, flying training (including ab-initio flights), helicopters, historic aircraft, parachuting, and special event days. Applicants will be required to state what types of flying activities are proposed, and on what scale. 

5. Other factors relevant to a judgement as to whether or not a development would give rise to an unacceptable amount of noise could be: 

  a. The type and weight of aircraft to be operated from the airfield; 

  b. The total number of proposed movements in and out of the airfield; 

  c. The type of aircraft activities proposed including any touch-and-go movements or circuit training; 

  d. The proposed total number of daily movements; 

  e. The proposed hours of operation. 

Where necessary or appropriate, conditions may be imposed to cover these and any other essential matters. In certain cases, such conditions may allow for a limited number of exceptions above the imposed restriction. 

6. In all cases the Local Planning Authority will require applicants to state whether their proposals are intended to provide for these kinds of activities and, if so, to describe their intended scale. In appropriate cases the significance of any potential adverse impact on quality of life / amenity arising from proposed flying activities may be assessed by: 

  a. the use of on-site demonstrations, or 

  b. by the imposition of a temporary permission to give a reasonable ‘trial run’ during which a careful programme of monitoring will be undertaken. 

7.

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

proposals on small airfields / airstrips in rural areas should demonstrate the ability to use the site for activities beyond recreation and low-level activity without detrimentally affecting the character, appearance, and residential amenity of the surrounding area. 

8. Where planning permission is granted, conditions may be imposed in appropriate circumstances to restrict matters such as: 

  c. The total number of take-offs and / or touch-and-go movements (normally on a daily maximum basis); 

  d. The types or weights of aircraft to be operated; and 

  e. The hours of operation of the site. 

Although the Cambridge Airport site is intended to be closed as part of the Cambridge East

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

proposals, it may still be operational during the early years of this local plan. The policy therefore provides a context for considering any development proposals necessary for its operation in the short term. The health impact assessment submitted alongside planning applications will need to demonstrate that the potential impacts on health have been considered at the planning and design stage.
South Cambridgeshire has a long association with flying and, in addition to Cambridge Airport there are a number of established aerodromes and smaller airfields in the district, including IWM Duxford with its large collection of flying historic aircraft and internationally renowned air shows. Aviation contributes to national, regional and local economies and there are a number of industries established on local airfields. However, airfields can also raise environmental issues which need careful consideration to balance the different interests that can be in conflict. In particular, noise resulting from flying activities has been a source of complaints in the past and is still a very sensitive issue in some areas of the district. 

This policy is intended to provide a framework within which any individual proposal can be considered in the light of all the particular local circumstances. Aircraft noise will usually be assessed in terms of the daytime/night time noise metrics supplemented as appropriate by other considerations such as the maximum noise level of individual events. It may also be necessary to adopt acceptability criteria for the noise exposure level appropriate to local circumstances, for example to account for public perception of increased annoyance where local background noise conditions are unusually low or where flying activities are already experienced from the use of other local airfields. 

Certain types of flying activity may result in a different level or type of potential impact from that caused by conventional modern aeroplanes taking part in ‘normal’ flights. Such disturbance may often (but not always) be more severe. For example, the noise impacts from helicopters can be considerable in an urban environment like Cambridge, where there are few locations where a heliport could be located without having major impacts on residents. Accordingly, proposals for new heliports will need very careful consideration. 

It will be helpful in the determination of planning applications if the promoters of any proposal are able to demonstrate the existence (or proposed existence) of a local liaison committee comprising representatives of a suitable range of interested local bodies. The completion of a Section 106 planning obligation may be an appropriate way of demonstrating this commitment. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Topic Paper 8:

  Includes transport, energy, water, waste, digital/smart, social and green infrastructure.

  (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

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All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.