Plane museum operated without planning permission

De Havilland Aircraft Museum wrote in planning documents it was the first public aviation museum in the country

Part of an aviation museum has operated without planning permission for two years.

The de Havilland Aircraft Museum, near London Colney in Hertfordshire, has now applied for retrospective permission to maintain a permanent marquee and outdoor display of historic aircraft and aircraft parts.

Opened in 1959, the site was granted temporary permission in 2015 for the outside area while a new hangar was built, this was later extended until 2022.

According to Local Democracy Reporting Service, the museum wants to continue to display in the outdoor space but as the museum is in the Green Belt it means special circumstances are required.

Temporary permission for an outdoor area was granted in 2015 and extended until 2022

The retrospective planning application now being considered by Hertsmere Borough Council argues that special circumstances “clearly outweigh” any potential harm to the Green Belt.

Documents cite a heritage legacy, lottery funding and reduced exhibition space in their existing hangars, opportunities provided for training and education, and potential mental health and wellbeing benefits.

The application mentioned that “improved curation” in the new building has "reduced the number of exhibits that can be displayed (…) creating a need for additional space outside the museum to adequately display the aircraft".

Historic de Havilland aircraft such as the Mosquito were designed, built and tested within the grounds of Grade II listed Salisbury Hall, where the museum is based.

Deirdre Wells OBE, CEO of Visit Herts, has written in support of keeping the outdoor area as there are "significant visitor benefits".

She continued:"Over the years, [the Museum] has attracted a large number of domestic and international visitors as well as families, school groups and local visitors, which has made a significant contribution to our local visitor economy."

The application submitted on behalf of the Museum says planning approval would "ensure a sustainable future for the museum".