A BLUEPRINT setting out how a sustainable village with 2,000 homes and 2,000 potential jobs could be created at Cotswold Airport has been revealed.

On Friday, property developer Commercial Estates Group (CEG) handed the vision document to Cotswold District Council (CDC), with proposals to create a village green, a wellbeing park incorporating sports pitches, fitness islands and an athletics track.

Other ideas in the document include constructing a tree-lined boulevard to reflect the airport’s runways and the rejuvenation of four Grade II listed hangars to create iconic landmarks for business and recreation.

Matthew Tunley, development manager at CEG, said: “Our vision is to create a well connected, mixed-use sustainable village with a distinctive identity which will have a flourishing community spirit and be an inspiring place to live, work and play.

“We understand the importance of involving local people and listening to their feedback, so we will be initiating a full public consultation programme to help us create something that works for everyone.”

Last month, CEG put the proposal to build homes at the airport to CDC in response to its Local Plan which sets out sites for a total of 7,500 homes to be built in the region by 2031.

CEG believes that its proposal is a viable alternative to building 2,350 homes in the Chesterton area of Cirencester, one of the sites included in the Local Plan.

Proposals such as creating shops, a primary school and a wide range of recreational facilities are also detailed in the document.

The Fosse Way, an ancient Roman pathway that runs through the airport, could be remodelled to act as the main route through the new development.

Ultra high broadband is also proposed for the development site, which would provide the opportunity to improve service to Kemble Enterprise Park and neighbouring villages such as Rodmarton, Oaksey and Chelworth.

CEG’s vision document sets out four different development options, including building 1,000 homes at the airport and 1,000 at Chesterton.

It also suggests that housing at the Cotswold Airport site could be developed if the government increases it current requirement for 7,500 homes to be built across the Cotswolds over a period of 20 years. Dan Angell, a spokesman for CEG said the airport was in an ideal location to build homes and provide an answer to meeting government housing targets.

He said: “The council is in an early enough stage of the Local Plan for them to assess and include other options.”

He explained that proposals for the airport are quite different to the ones for Chesterton as they detail creating many new facilities that would appeal to visitors.

“It is very close to a main line railway station and there is employment on the site. There would be education here. It is very different to what is proposed at Chesterton.

“What we are seeking to create here is a flow the other way, by creating things like leisure facilities that are not in Cirencester.”

He said CEG were also exploring the possibility of creating car park spaces on the airport site for rail users, which would help ease pressure on the railway station at Kemble which is often at capacity.


Setting up a shuttle service from the airport site to the station is also an option that is being considered.


 If the development is given permission it is thought the airport would close, but the 150 workers at the airfield have been told their jobs would be safe for five years.