This week, against officer recommendation, East Devon District Council refused planning application 24/1278/FUL Construction of a new dwelling and associated landscaping | Land Adjacent Upper Spilsby Exeter Road Ottery St Mary – on an area of land adjacent to Straitgate Farm – for two reasons, the second of which was:
2. It has not been demonstrated that the development would not attract wildlife to the area which could result in a health and safety hazard to users of Exeter Airport contrary to Policy TC12 (Aerodrome Safeguarded Areas and Public Safety Zones) of the East Devon Local Plan, 2015 to 2031
Exeter Airport’s Airfield Operations and Safeguarding team had objected twice to the application, firstly in July 2024 stating:
The development is situated within an area of higher ground in the Type A airspace. The creation of new permanent water bodies risks the increase of bird activities within the airspace.
The applicants commissioned a Technical Note in response to Exeter Airport’s objection – pointing to the larger body of open water left by Aggregate Industries at nearby Rockbeare Quarry, and also pointing to the company’s plans for Straitgate Farm approved at appeal. The Technical Note stated:
The application site is also adjacent to an approved quarry application site (Figure 8). Exeter Airport concluded that the proposed quarry does not appear to conflict with safeguarding criteria subject to a number of conditions (refer to Figure 9). This is despite the creation of ‘ephemeral waterbodies and species-rich wet grassland to be encouraged in low-lying infiltration areas’ (refer to Figure 10), which are more likely to attract conflict species, such as gulls, geese and other waterfowl than the proposed ponds at the application site.
Nevertheless, Exeter Airport maintained its objection, stating:
The development is located within the aerodrome safeguarding area in a position on high ground located within the type A airspace. Due to the development's location and AMSL height any potential increase in bird activities cannot be supported and must be mitigated by way of a wildlife management plan.Exeter Airport has received and reviewed the provided assessment of Birdstrike. While this is accepted as an assessment of potential risk it is not accepted as a wildlife management plan and as such maintains its holding objection till a wildlife management plan is submitted to negate the potential risk of increased bird activities in the airspace.This is supported as stated in the provided report by ASAN3 as a building development that has manmade landscaping features that have the potential to attract flocks of birds and/or large birds.The report makes note of DCC/3944/2017 planning application for Straitgate Quarry as a reference in the area. Straitgate Quarry has a robust provided wildlife habitat management plan (WHMP) including planning conditions of routine site visits, onsite pumping equipment and no new permanent bodies of water to be created therefore can not be used as evidential reasons for the creation of new permanent water bodies within the area. Also, of note straitgate Quarry is situated at lower ground level to proposed development.While as report has stated the development is low risk in creating a risk of birdstrikes action must still be taken to negate all risk to aircraft within the area due to the potentially fatal consequences. The aerodrome is happy to provide reference and contacts to assist in the creation of the required Wildlife Management Plan.
Is Exeter Airport holding individuals seeking permission for dwellings to a higher standard than international quarrying conglomerates?
Exeter Airport did not maintain an objection to Aggregate Industries’ plans for Straitgate Farm, which also sits directly below the landing approach for the Airport, despite the planned creation of water bodies for surface water management and restoration.
To allay the Airport’s original concerns, Aggregate Industries commissioned a Wildlife Habitats Management Plan for the site. Nevertheless, Planning Inspectors, in granting permission, conditioned that the site can only be quarried if:
25. No water body shall be created within the site other than the approved weigh bridge lagoon.
The reason for this was set out in the condition in its draft form (20):
To prevent the site becoming attractive to flocks of birds that may lead to an aviation hazard in the interests of public safety and in accordance with Policy M20 (Sustainable Design) of the Devon Minerals Plan.
Of course, the area of potential open water that would be introduced by quarrying Straitgate Farm is many times greater than what was proposed by planning application 24/1278/FUL.
