Airfield information and contact details

There are four airfields within two nautical miles (3 km) of Hatley:

• Gransden Lodge Airfield – Cambridge Gliding Centre
• Hatley Park Estate – private airstrip, rarely used
• Little Gransden Airfield – Fullers Hill
• Top Farm Airfield – off Lower Road, Croydon (above)

Aircraft – large, small, fast, slow, civilian, military, old, new, quiet or noisy – can be the source of admiration or annoyance… or both!

Of the four airfields listed above, only the strip at Hatley Park is rarely used (it has a planning restriction of 28 days’ use per year); the others are all businesses with relatively tight planning controls and are monitored to some degree by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Systems have been set up for the public to comment / complain about the activities of these airfields – if you have any comments or wish to complain, please do so to the airfield (use the links below for contact details), preferably in writing, with a copy to SCDC (the address is also below).

Minutes
The operators of the Fullers Hill airstrip and the Gliding Club (LGALCC) hold joint meetings in April and November – copies of their minutes are available from the respective organisations.  Hatley parish clerk – clerk@hatley-pc.gov.uk – is also likely to have copies.

Below are some tips on what to look for. With so many sources of aircraft in the vicinity (Cambridge, Cranfield, Duxford, North Weald, etc.) it is easy to assume, wrongly, that the one you are watching has come from a local airfield.

Tips on commenting / complaining

As much information as possible on the aircraft is required:

• Number of engines.
• Mono-plane or bi-plane.
• Low wing or high wing (i.e. does the pilot look out over the wing or under the wing).
• Undercarriage visible or not, if so does it have a nose wheel or not.
• Colours, distinctive markings.
• Registration letters (UK registered ones always start with G-……).
• Estimated height (very difficult to judge!).
• Are the wing flaps down (again, difficult for the inexperienced!) this suggests it is about to land.
• Direction of travel.
• Precise time.

Anything sent to a local airfield discussing problems should be copied to SCDC:

Area Planning Officer
South Cambridgeshire District Council
Cambourne Business Park
CAMBOURNE
CB23 6EA

03450 455 215
planning@scambs.gov.uk

The Gliding Club has a useful page and form on complaints – which, in essence, can be used in relation to any of our local airfields.

• The minutes of the Little Gransden Aerodrome Local Consultative Committee for 6th April 2022 contain information on complaining.

Cambridge Gliding Club

Cambridge Gliding Club – photo by Brian Birlison.

Cambridge Gliding Centre
Gransden Lodge Airfield

Longstowe Road
Little Gransden
Sandy
SG19 3EB

Tel  01767 677 077
E-mail  office@camgliding.uk
Website  www.camgliding.uk

Visitors

Visitors are welcome to go and watch the activities at the Gliding Centre.  However, as safety is paramount, you should contact the Gliding Centre’s office on arrival for a safety brief.  They will also arrange for an informal ‘look round’ if you are interested.

Complaints form

If you wish to comment about any activity associated with the Gliding Club, please contact the club direct – they include advice and a complaints form (which is not GDPR compliant) on their website.

Events

For any events being held by the Gliding Club which may be over-flying Hatley, please check our News and events page.

Little Gransden Airfield

Fullers Hill and the Little Gransden Airfield – photo by Scenic Traverse Photography.

Little Gransden Airfield

Fullers Hill
Little Gransden
Cambridgeshire
SG19 3BP

Tel  01767 651 950
Mobiles

07785 538 317 – Mark Jefferies
07770 922 682 – John Jefferies

Website www.littlegransdenflyingclub.co.uk

Complaint form

Minutes of the Little Gransden Aerodrome Local Consultative Committee, 10th April 2024.

Complaining about activities

If you wish to comment about any activity associated with Little Gransden Airfield, please contact the airfield direct – there is a complaint form on the contacts page of their website – or download it from the link above.

Their website includes details of the circuit patterns / flight areas permitted and forbidden (e.g. over Hatley). If you do contact them, try to cover as many of the points listed at the top of this page as possible and send it in to the airfield, with a copy to SCDC.  Gliding is not one of the airfield’s activities.

The minutes of the 6th April 2022 meeting are of interest because of complaints issues and a link to the original planning application: S/0069/97/F – which includes a copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s appeal decision.

Events

For any events being held by Little Gransden Airfield which may be over-flying Hatley, please check our News and events page; the annual airshow will take place in late August.

Top Farm

Top Farm – photo by UK Airfields & Airports.

Top Farm Airfield

Barmoor House
Top Farm
Croydon
Royston
SG8 OEQ

Tel  01767 631 377
Mobile  07711 197 738

Website UK Airfield Guide

Complaints

If you wish to complain about any activities concerned with Top Farm (noise, low or excessive over flying etc), please ring the airfield direct – 01767 631 377.

Events

For any events being held by Top Farm which may be over-flying Hatley, please check our News and events page.

_{Page checked / updated 26th July 2024.▲}