Protecting assets Safeguarding and Communicating Diana King BGA Development Committee Chairman Major planning threats Last twelve months:  Nine wind turbine applications close to clubs  Two solar farm applications close to clubs  Fifteen non-threatening turbines  Two other types of planning threat What are the Club’s assets? Facilities ‘Hard assets’ What are the Club’s assets? Equipment ‘Hard assets’ What are the Club’s assets? People! ‘Living assets’ What are the Club’s assets? ‘Soft assets’ Reputation Knowledge Contacts The most important assets The most important assets  People  Airspace  Airfield Airfield and Airspace Safeguarding and Communicating Who ….? What is Safeguarding? A mechanism to  Provide information about potential developments near your site  Give a possibility of some protection against unwanted developments What is Safeguarding?  A map or plan lodged with the relevant planning authority  A public document Example Safeguarding Map How do we get safeguarding?  Talk to your Local Planning Authority  Create a map showing the area needing protection around your site and the ideal maximum height of developments  Agree the map with the LPA  Advice is available! What happens after that?  The planning authority should notify the airfield operator of any planning applications that fall within the 'safeguarded area‘  They don’t always  By the time the planning application is lodged, the developer’s plans are well advanced  Developers may avoid planning applications that could cause problems to airfield operations  They may not So …. The message is So …. The message is You need to communicate! Who with? Communicating  Local Planning authority  Local grapevine, local papers, neighbours  BGA  Your own members  Developers Local Planning Authority and Framework  Statutory requirement to develop local plans  Local planning policy and development framework for up to 15 years  Developed through local consultation  Must be taken into account in planning decisions Local Plan and Aerodrome Safeguarding  Get involved!  Get your airfield and safeguarding plan included in the Local Plan  Ask to be listed as a non statutory consultee  Review the draft plan at each formal consultation stage  Developers aware of the existence of airfield and safeguarding  Club is in a stronger position Local grapevine, local papers, neighbours  Watch the press and local noticeboards  Eavesdrop in your local pub  Keep in touch with neighbours BGA  BGA website – club management section - documents  BGA Development team  Involve us in good time and keep us informed  Ask for  Advice  Letters in support  Contacts for specialist advisers  Financial support may be available – Planning & Environment Fund BGA Wind turbine policy  To establish a practical and credible approach to wind turbine developments  Plus guidelines to help clubs to respond to developments that may threaten airfields  Also relevant to other developments  Small working group  Still being drafted Your members  Is a development a threat to you?  Consult and think carefully before responding to developments  Agree your responses to planning applications  Keep the members informed Developers  No – don’t scream in horror!  They may be flexible  They may offer alternative options  But it won’t happen if you won’t talk to them After planning application  Whether approved or rejected ….  Let us have the details …  So that we can build up our knowledge …  To help other clubs … Protecting assets Safeguarding and Communicating Comments? Questions?