Take off delayed for drone flying area after South Holland District Council demands full planning application from Peterborough and Spalding Gliding Club

Take off at a drone flying area has been delayed.

Peterborough and Spalding Gliding Club had applied for a lawful development certificate to install a viewing area at its Crowland headquarters.

However, South Holland District Council has refused the request for a rain canopy, small shipping container for storage and honeycomb floor base, stating a full planning application must be submitted.

A lawful development certificate is a legal document that confirms whether a proposed or existing use of land or building is lawful.

However, SHDC’s planning officers have ruled that a General Permitted Development Order - a legal document which allows certain types of developments to be carried out without requiring planning permission - is ‘not permitted’ in this case.

“The proposed development would not be classed as permitted development that is allowed within GPDO,” the officers’ report concluded.

“The proposed development is therefore not permitted development, and a full planning application is required for the proposals.”

A statement put forward by Peterborough and Spalding Gliding Club said: "We are installing a non-permanent temporary shelter to protect our customers from the elements our out on the range.

“This will look better for the business and hopefully enable us to grow and to take up permanent offices on another part of the site.

“We do need a storage place for our equipment on the flying area and again this will be non-permanent and taken away when our lease ends."

According to the submission, the proposed container is expected to measure 2mx3m, with a maximum of 3m in height.

The proposed canopy is expected to measure 5mx3m, with a maximum height of 3m while wooden poles to hold the canopy are expected to be 2.4m high.

The club’s original application stated: “We are leasing the land from the land owner as a drone flying area.

“We have grassed the whole area.

“Erecting a small viewing area and positioning a storage container, does not alter the use of the land.

“This is just to build our business at this location.”