Campaigners fighting to save Popham Airfield say time is running out for supporters to make their voices heard, as a new public consultation gets under way on plans to turn the site into a “garden village”.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s draft local plan sets out proposals for 4,250 new homes on the Hampshire airfield under policy reference SPS5.8 Popham Garden Village.
The council had previously indicated the site would be removed from the plan after a 2024 consultation. New national guidance has since increased the borough’s housing target to 20,000 homes by 2042 – an extra 6,300 homes. The council says that change leaves few alternatives.
A spokesperson said including Popham “wasn’t an easy decision”, but warned that if the borough failed to plan for the higher number, it could lose control over where development happens.
The airfield’s owners have not commented.
Campaign group Popham Airfield Matters says the site remains a busy and valued hub. It reports around 20,000 aircraft movements each year, 70,000 visitors in 2023, 150 based aircraft and more than 500 club members. The airfield hosts fly-ins, trade shows and classic car events, and marked its 50th anniversary in August.
The Civil Aviation Authority has also backed its importance, calling Popham “an important component in the network of general aviation airfields” and noting it ranks in the top 30th percentile in a study of almost 1,000 sites.
Councillor Andy Konieczko, cabinet member for strategic planning and infrastructure, said the council is “undertaking more research to better understand the role of the airfield”, but added that the land had been put forward by the owner and must now be considered.
The campaign group, which has more than 2,500 supporters, is raising funds for consultants and legal advice as it prepares to challenge the proposal.
Residents have until 23 January to submit their views. Details of the consultation are available at:
https://consult.basingstoke.gov.uk/consultation/local-plan-draft-spatial-strategy-regulation-18-consultation-november-2025
A series of drop-in sessions will take place across the borough, starting at the Warren Centre in Micheldever Station on 6 January, from 14:00 to 20:00 GMT.
More discussions are expected as the future of Popham Airfield edges into a decisive phase within the borough’s long-term planning strategy.
