Refurbishment works planned at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland following closure of RAF Scampton

The Lincolnshire air base was closed as part of a cost-saving measure by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and has been identified as suitable for asylum accommodation, possibly as soon as August.

An application has been submitted to Northumberland County Council’s planning department on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

The screening opinion seeks clarification from the planning authority on whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) will be required.

"It is proposed that existing RAF assets be relocated to RAF Boulmer following the scheduled closure of RAF Scampton,” state consultants Mott Macdonald.

“The proposed development at RAF Boulmer will be located at the two existing sites that form the base; the operations site and administration site.

"The development will facilitate the relocation of assets, services and personnel with the incumbent units at RAF Boulmer, comprising a mixture of living, working and training facilities as well as the addition of infrastructure assets within the existing administration and operational sites.

"The development will additionally support a suite of upgrades and refurbishments across RAF Boulmer.

The report goes on to reveal that three high-level design options for the administration site and four across the operations site are being assessed.

‘The screening assessment has been based on a number of varying scale scenarios with development options still being explored,’ it states. ‘The exact scale and location of each development is yet to be therefore a precautionary approach has been taken during this EIA screening.’

Options under consideration for the operational site include the creation of a new double storey gym, the refurbishment or creation of up to two single storey extensions for technical facilities and the building of a new technical, storage and maintenance facility.

Works on the administration site could include three new single double or triple storey accommodation buildings including communal space, the demolition of the existing gym to create a split level facility or the refurbishment and repurposing of an existing hangar as a gym and a new single storey technical building including storage and maintenance facilities.

There is also an aim to provide 116 additional parking spaces to meet the current shortfall.