These Regulations prohibit all aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet above mean sea level within a 2.5 nautical mile radius of Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester.
The Secretary of State for Transport issued these restrictions in response to an unspecified emergency, granting Derbyshire Police the authority to exempt specific flights through directed instructions.
The rules apply to all civilian and commercial pilots operating in the vicinity of the reservoir from the moment of signing at 2.30 p.m. on 14 July 2026.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that the restrictions are necessary in the public interest due to an ongoing emergency in the specified area.
The Regulations cite article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 as the legal basis for exercising emergency powers to restrict airspace.
The documentation states the measures are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has concluded.
Arguments Against
Aviation stakeholders may seek clarity on the specific nature of the emergency to determine the likely duration of the restriction.
Pilots operating in the Manchester periphery must ensure precise navigation to avoid the 2.5 nautical mile radius, which may be difficult without immediate aeronautical chart updates.
Unclear definitions of what constitutes "directions given by Derbyshire Police" could lead to procedural ambiguity for emergency support aircraft not directly affiliated with the force.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester) (Emergency) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.
This section establishes the official name of the statutory instrument.
It specifies that the flight restrictions become legally enforceable at the exact time and date of signing, which was 2.30 p.m. on 14 July 2026.
Restricted airspace
No aircraft is to fly below 3,000 feet above mean sea level over the area specified in Column 1 of the Schedule, being an area bounded by a circle of the radius specified in Column 2 and centred on the position specified in Column 3.
These Regulations do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with directions given by Derbyshire Police.
These sections prohibit flight below 3,000 feet within a specific circular zone centered on Dovestones Reservoir.
They grant Derbyshire Police the legal power to waive these restrictions for individual aircraft by providing specific directions.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |-----------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Dovestones Reservoir, | 2.5 nautical miles | 533044N 0015647W |
The schedule provides the exact geographic coordinates (53°30'44"N 001°56'47"W) and the radius of the restricted zone.
The exclusion zone extends 2.5 nautical miles from this center point at Dovestones Reservoir.
Related
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Read MoreThe Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester) (Emergency) (Revocation) Regulations 2026
Revoked the emergency flight restrictions at Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester, with immediate effect.
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Read MoreThe Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester) (Emergency) Regulations 2026
Established a temporary restricted flight zone below 3,000 feet around Dovestones Reservoir due to a local emergency.
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