Council aims to acquire former Dambusters base with plans for new aerospace jobs

A council has unanimously agreed to press forward with plans to buy the former home of the RAF’s Dambusters squadron, hailing the project as a once-in-a-generation regeneration opportunity.

West Lindsey District Council said the decision over the former RAF Scampton site in Lincolnshire, made at a full council meeting, builds on work started after now abandoned central government plans to house asylum seekers at the base.

The council said the vote had reinforced the council’s long-term commitment to securing a sustainable and economically beneficial future for the historic 800-acre site, also once home to the Red Arrows.

The local authority is working in partnership with Scampton Holdings Limited, which has been selected as its development partner, following a successful public procurement exercise.

The leader of the district council, Cllr Jackie Brockway, said: “The council has once again unanimously agreed to make a bid for the former RAF Scampton site from the Home Office.

“This is a position we have consistently supported because we have always recognised the significant opportunity this site presents for our district and beyond.”

Cllr Brockway added: “Our vision for RAF Scampton has not changed. We believe regeneration of the site will create jobs, attract investment and bring visitors to the area, delivering lasting economic and community benefits.

“Working in partnership with Scampton Holdings Limited, we remain committed to securing a landmark scheme that protects the site’s heritage while unlocking its potential.”

The proposed regeneration represents an investment of more than £300 million and will preserve, protect and enhance RAF Scampton’s internationally significant heritage, while creating new opportunities across aviation, business, education and tourism, the council said.

Among the benefits of the plans, the council said, will be more than 3,600 new jobs, with more than 800 roles in defence and aerospace, bolstering the high-value industry sector.

The then newly-elected Labour Government confirmed in September 2024 that RAF Scampton, which closed in 2023, would not be used to house asylum seekers.

Opening the site as accommodation as planned would have cost a total of £122 million by the end of its use in 2027, meaning the site no longer represents value for money, the Government said.