'Playthings of pretty rich people': Councillor rails against private jets flying into Wellesbourne Airfield

Councillor Dave Passingham (Green, Shipston South) highlighted concerns that Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s emerging economic strategy, an overarching document being produced in partnership with Warwick District Council, is not sufficiently focused on climate change, particularly in relation to transport.

The strategy says that “whilst retaining and enhancing its aviation activities, (the district council) acknowledges the location and economic potential of Wellesbourne Airfield, particularly its proximity to the University of Warwick’s Stratford-upon-Avon campus” and that the authority “supports the principle of employment uses on the site to capitalise on high-value manufacturing and engineering opportunities”.

Cllr Passingham welcomed much of the economic strategy but advocated a stronger stance against some of the current activity at the airfield.

“The most polluting form of transport in the whole country is private aeroplanes,” he said.

“Why the council should be deliberately supporting that airport, which is really for the playthings of pretty rich people, when there is so much fuel poverty and other things that are happening in this district I don’t really understand.”

Councillor George Cowcher (Lib Dem, Wellesbourne South), the district’s portfolio holder for planning and economic development, replied: “It is not just purely a leisure facility.

"Key companies, including two in Wellesbourne, use that on a regular basis to bring in key personnel from Ireland and from Europe. It has an economic input.

“One of the key sectors we will be promoting is how we are dealing with technology in air, road and rail and the airfield has an input into that.

“It is a very important component of our local economy and that is one of the reasons why this council, in the previous administration and in this administration, is giving high priority to ensuring it is protected.”

Cllr Passingham went on to ask: “Why should executives of large companies be flying in on private jets to a local airport when there is Birmingham Airport and lots of other ways to move around the country?

“It would be far better to not use flight at all, to use Zoom or Teams nowadays.”

Conservative leader Councillor Sarah Whalley-Hoggins (Brailes & Compton) dismissed as “rhetoric” worries over air miles and was keen to set a wider context.

“Maintaining the airfield at Wellesbourne is not only to do with current operations there, it is about protecting an airfield which, with future technologies coming online, will be critical,” she said.

“The drone corridors that are being set up for deliveries, that kind of thing, everybody knows that is how the transplant service is going to be operated very soon.

“To have the narrow vision to just stop any practice there because people can use a different airport, you have to look at the other economic opportunities for this district of having an airfield. That is why as Conservatives we have been very strong about wanting to protect the airfield.

“We have heard the rhetoric about air miles, et cetera, but we do really have to preserve it for the other uses that will in the long term reduce the carbon footprint of other industries.

“People have choices and they make them.”