Filton Airfield

Satellite view of Filton Airfield, Bristol
Satellite view of Filton Airfield, Bristol

On Thursday 14th April 2011, BAE Systems announced that it would be closing Filton Airfield “by the end of 2012”.

How the story was announced:

Related links:

First landing of the Airbus A380 at Filton Airfield, Bristol.

Public Consultation: 3rd October to 24th October 2011

South Gloucestershire Council is holding a series of public exhibitions about Filton Airfield during October 2011. It says: “We are listening to what local people have to say both about the proposed closure and potential options for redevelopment.”

The future of Filton Airfield

Staffed exhibitions will be held at the following locations and times:

  • Monday 3rd October – Cribbs Causeway Business Centre, Hollywood Lane, BS10 7TW – 3pm until 7:30pm
  • Tuesday 11th October – Patchway Locality Hub, Rodway Road, Patchway, BS34 5PE – 3pm until 7:30pm
  • Monday 17th October – BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, BS34 7RG – 3pm until 7:30pm.

Information will also be made available at:

  • Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre – Tuesday 4th October until Tuesday 11th October
  • Filton and Patchway libraries – Tuesday 18th October until Monday 24th October
  • Southmead and Henbury libraries – Monday 26th September until Monday 24th October

What people are saying about the future of Filton Airfield

Airfield is better site for housing
21st July 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
Families opposed to the building of houses in the Green Belt around Yate say it makes more sense to develop the “brownfield site” of a closed Filton Airfield.

We need to be realistic about the fate of Filton airfield
2nd August 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
Cllr D Tiley of Patchway Town Council says: “any campaign to … make this site suitable for commercial aircraft use would again I fear be derailed by … NIMBYS”

Airfield is too great an asset to let close, warn councillors
12th August 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
Labour councillors in South Gloucestershire have launched an online campaign to save Filton airfield from being closed. They do not accept the airfield should close and want to see it remain as a focal point for the aerospace industry.

Filton airfield: Labour’s “playing cynical politics”
14th August 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
The local Labour Party is playing cynical politics with local residents, say three Conservative Town Councillors (two current, one retired). Local Conservatives will fight for the land to be used to create local jobs and desperately needed local housing.

Filton airfield closure would affect Great Western Air Ambulance
25th August 2011 | BBC Bristol
A Great Western Air Ambulance (GWAA) employee says relocating from Filton Airfield would have a “substantial impact” on its rapid response service to the Bristol area.

Filton airfield plans condemned by Bristol City Council
6th September 2011 | BBC Bristol
The leader of Bristol City Council, Barbara Janke, says she wants to see “a proper strategic approach”. She is calling on South Gloucestershire Council to work with the city council to create jobs rather than homes at the Filton Airfield site.

Lopresti: “No need for an airstrip at Filton”
6th September 2011 | South Glos Post
“The Airfield has been economically unviable for years as both BAE and Airbus have made known, and so far no potential buyers have come forward. The fact is that there is no need for an airstrip at Filton.”

‘BAE Systems’ is stripping our assests’ say Bristol campaigners
20th September 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
BAE Systems has been accused of “asset-stripping” if it goes ahead with the proposed sale of Filton airfield. A meeting at Filton Community Centre heard  campaigners against airfield’s closure say selling it off for housing development would “cripple the area’s economy” and turn north Bristol into “one of the biggest slums in history”.

BAE Systems says Filton Airfield ‘running at loss’
20th September 2011 | BBC Bristol
Filton Airfield has been running at a loss for more than a decade, its owners have told campaigners. BAE Systems managers told a meeting in Filton on Monday the airstrip had lost millions of pounds in that time.

Council asks for views on future of Filton Airfield
3rd October 2011 | South Glos Post
Local people are being urged to share their views on the future of Filton Airfield, which has been scheduled for closure by owners BAE Systems by the end of 2012. South Gloucestershire Council has launched a new series of public exhibitions to find out what people have to say about both the proposed closure and the future of the 348-acre site.

BAE: “Despite £7m investment airfield is just not viable”
7th October 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
Redeveloping Filton Airfield could create thousands of jobs, according to a top executive at BAE Systems, which owns the 350-acre site. Real estate director Andrew Cheesman said at a press briefing yesterday (6th October) that the company had pumped more than £7 million into the airfield during the past six years – but this had not generated any long-term commercial interest.

Residents renew opposition to plans to close Filton Airfield
19th October 2011 | Gazette Series
The decision to close Filton Airfield received a renewed swell of opposition this week after proposed redevelopment plans for the site were made public. Attendees expressed their concern and frustration at two consultations held by South Gloucestershire Council on Monday and Tuesday.

BAE Systems issues report justifying Filton Airfield closure
19th October 2011 | South Glos Post
In response to a request by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) that BAE Systems “further explains and justifies its decision to close Filton Airfield”, the defence company has now published a detailed report that will be considered by the council when it revises its draft Core Strategy later this year.

BBC revelation overshadows councillors’ Filton Airfield debate
20th October 2011 | South Glos Post
Filton Airfield, earmarked for closure at the end of 2012 by its owner BAE Systems, made £1.3m profit in 2010, the BBC has revealed. The news has angered campaigners who would like to see the airfield kept operational because the company described the facility as “unviable” when justifying its decision to close it at the end of 2012.

Report says “no future for Filton airfield”
5th December 2011 | Bristol Evening Post
AN independent consultants’ report commissioned by South Gloucestershire Council has concluded that Filton airfield has no commercial future as an airport. And it says that the aviation industry would not be adversely affected by its closure.

Filton Airfield housing plans approved
15th December 2011 | BBC Bristol
Proposals to build up to 2,500 houses on Filton Airfield in Bristol have been given the green light by South Gloucestershire councillors.

Jack Lopresti MP: Reopen the North Filton and Henbury stations
11th January 2012 | Bristol Evening Post
As many of you will know, just before Christmas there was an important vote in a South Gloucestershire Council meeting on our local area’s Core Strategy proposals. The vote was essentially concerned with the future planning of things like the safeguarding of employment land, designation of land uses and transport improvements for the next 20 years or so.

Closing and redeveloping airfield ‘would create thousands of jobs’
23rd February 2012 | Bristol Evening Post
Up to 5,000 skilled jobs would be created if Filton Airfield is closed down and redeveloped, it has been claimed. South Gloucestershire councillors were told last night that a planning blueprint which is currently being drawn up would ensure that the 350-acre site was not covered with thousands of homes. Instead, it would be a “balanced” development with a mix of houses, leisure facilities and an industrial zone.

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