Nottingham City Airport: UK airport to close down for good in three months to make way for new homes - despite numerous petitions

By June 6, all businesses - including the Nottingham City Airport, training schools, a café and air traffic building - will be forced to shut to allow for potential demolition under plans by developer Vistry Homes. Businesses at Tollerton Airfield have been given three months to leave the site despite more than a thousand objections and numerous petitions.

A petition opposing the development was launched by the Save Nottingham City Airfield group as bosses said they were looking at potential sites for relocation. Concerns over emergency helicopters losing a refuelling spot, the impact on biodiversity and job losses have been raised by supporters.

The closure of the onsite Chocks Away café has also faced opposition from campaigners. Despite various petitions and more than 1,000 objections to Rushcliffe Borough Council, a three-month notice has now been given by Vistry Homes to operators Truman Aviation. Brian Wells, the site's owner, confirmed he received the notice via a letter on Tuesday, March 4.

He said the site's closure will result in numerous redundancies and many of the amenities that could have stayed open while development was ongoing - including the café and a single runway for air ambulances - now have no choice but to shut. The history of Tollerton's airfield stretches back to the early 20th century, with several flying clubs being based there in its early days.

During the Second World War, the aerodrome was acquired by the Air Ministry as a base and was known as RAF Tollerton. It was also previously used as a commercial airport up until the late 1940s. If the current proposal of 400 properties is approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council, developer Vistry Homes is set on a wider plan of 1,600 homes being built on the airfield.