Mr M Scott, Bagby Airfield, Bagby, Thirsk, North - Hambleton District ...

316. As set out in the Enforcement Notice the installation of the matting is an
engineering operation.
317. The appellant states that “In this respect, it is considered that the geo-textile
matting is not development and therefore does not require planning permission,
since it does not constitute an engineering operation”.
318. The provision of matting to the east west runway involves the installation of
an engineered product, a product that has been designed to be installed under
the supervision of a suitably experienced engineer and with reference to the
manufacturers’ specification.
319. It is an engineering operation to install the matting involving engineering
plant and equipment again with adherence to the manufacturers’ specification of
installation, being an operation normally undertaken as a building activity or
engineering operation depending on the scale of installation. In this case the
installation is over a large area and was installed as an engineering operation.
The installation of the matting is therefore development and is development
which is not permitted by any General or Special Development Order.
320. It is my understanding that the installation of the special reinforcement
matting took place over the course of several days and that the work involved the
use of specialist vibration rolling equipment as used in road building and other
engineering works. To the best of my knowledge no other additional preparatory
work was required before the matting was installed.
321. The Ground F appeal
322. The Notice requires the removal of the concrete from the main east west
runway. The requirements of the notice do not specify the material to be used to
reinstate the runway. It is understood that the ground was previously made up of
hardcore overlaid with soil and a 4” deep heavy duty plastic reinforcement
matting similar to the type installed to the east and west of the concrete.
323. The notice does not require the re-instatement to a grass finish without the
underlying hardcore or reinforcement matting.
Hambleton District Council - Tim Wood – Proof of Evidence - 69 -