Expansion plans for airport

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans have been submitted to extend one of the hangars at the Mid Wales Airport near Welshpool.

Powys County Council’s planning department received the application by BJ Aviation Ltd in September.

They want to extend one of their hangers and increase the land available off the runway for the parking of planes and extend the overspill car park.

Agent Philip Humphreys said: “Mid Wales airport currently has five hangars, one of which is occupied by the Air Ambulance.

“BJ Aviation had originally used half of this hangar, but with the growth of the Air Ambulance service, they now need an additional hangar to make up for lost space and accommodate an expanding business.”

The proposal is to extend the existing hangar on the north west boundary of airport by 518 square metres.

To provide more room to park the aircraft s an extra 0.49 hectares of land will be acquired  at the back of the existing hangar to make room for the extension and hard standing, which is needed to accommodate the increased use of the airport.

This, according to the design statement, is partly due to more people coming to the airport to visit the Air Ambulance base. The overspill car park would take up to an extra 48 cars.

As the airport lies in the Severn Flood Plain a Flood Consequences Assessment has been included with the application.

Mr Humphreys added: “Although the site is prone to flooding, the internal floor level of the existing hangars is sufficiently high to avoid flooding.

“The floor level of the new extension will be the same as the existing hangars.

“This section of the River Severn comes under the EA (Environment Agency) Flood Warning Scheme.

“The length of advance warning provided will mitigate the risk of flood hazard.”

“A long lead time will enable people to be evacuated or to be located safely from the direct effects of flooding.”

“The airport is well versed in taking action when the river is high and has an emergency procedures plan in place for notifying people on the site of potential flooding and what action needs to be taken.”