Renewed bid for helipad

Helicopter pilot Chris Ruddy hopes to get full planning permission for his main helipad at Oakdene Farm, Diggle.

He has submitted plans to Oldham Council — the latest in a long line of applications which have resulted in a string of appeals.

His helicopter is used by the Peak Park and other parks to fly in bales of heather and other materials used to restore the moor.

His firm Pennine Helicopters, owned by himself and his wife Julia, started operating from the farm in 1992.

But it was April last year before he won a battle for a permanent site at the farm which is in the green belt, next to the Peak District National Park.

The permanent site is known as the top pad, which can be used for unlimited landing, take off, stationing and refuelling.

But other parts of his land, including the main helipad, can only be used for 28 days a year.

Now Mr Ruddy is applying for full permission for the main helipad site, which he says is engineered, purpose built, and grass-covered.

In his application he says: “There are good practical, operational and amenity-related reasons why planning permission should now be granted for the purposes of taking off, landing and refuelling of helicopters on the main pad, which is situated further away from existing residential dwellings.

“Planning permission would minimise the environmental effects of helicopter activity on neighbouring property which currently occur.”

If he is allowed to use the main helipad all year round, he has told planners he is prepared to enter into an agreement that the top pad will be limited to 28 days use a year.