Old Buckenham Weather Radar

A view from the Airfield
Matt Wilkins, the Aerodrome Manager at Old Buckenham Airfield, wishes to point out their views on the proposed weather radar installation.
The proposal as drawn would penetrate the protected area around the airfield’s main runway. This would therefore be a breach of the Air Navigation Order. The Civil Aviation Authority would become involved and take the necessary action to block the application.
Even if the Met Office's plans are changed to lower the radar sufficiently so that it is not a technical breach, they have been made aware, in no uncertain terms, that the Airfield will object on a raft of other technical grounds, all based on Statute and the latest National Planning Policy Framework.
The Airfield have not stated that they have no issue with the frequencies that are put out. What they have said is that they would need specialist and detailed advice. They have also pointed out that they transmit to aircraft at very long distance with potential effect on their machinery.
They have pointed out that an unlit structure of height is a bad idea and that on basic grounds of safety there would at least need to be a red light at the top of the structure. Perhaps most importantly the Airfield have made abundantly clear that, in a county of precisely three Air Traffic Zones, "sticking a golf ball on a very tall stick in the middle of one of them" is idiotic.

A similar installation elsewhere in the country

Everyone needs to also be aware of one point. If this project is built then the Met Office will automatically become a statutory consultee for all applications and have immediate right of veto. In other words if someone in the village wants to do anything requiring planning permission they would have to seek the approval of the Met Office as well as the usual list of consultees. Equally anyone putting anything up under Permitted Development which interferes with this radar in any way will risk being at the thick end of an injunction. This is a major factor for consideration; doing anything in the surrounding area could become a lot harder, including any necessary home improvements, modest extensions, etc. 
The Airfield do make clear that they are not going to object on aesthetic grounds. They have been approached by several villagers about it, some of whom say they will have their views ruined, shadows cast and a host of problems. The Airfield can only object on aeronautical grounds and will do so. Their objections will identify the various points of law and planning policy that affect them. Their advice to anyone who will also object is to this do so stipulating the piece of law that you think will be impinged upon. Simply saying that it’ll be a grotesque eyesore won’t be enough; pointing to a relevant chapter of the Town and Country Planning Act, however, has decidedly more impact.