Established an emergency restricted airspace below 3,000 feet within 1.5 nautical miles of Lewes and revoked the previous emergency regulations for the area.
These Regulations establish a temporary no-fly zone in the vicinity of Lewes, East Sussex, prohibiting aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet above mean sea level within a 1.5 nautical mile radius of the specified coordinates.
The restrictions apply to all aircraft except those operating under the direction of the British Transport Police. The Secretary of State issued this order under the Air Navigation Order 2016 in response to an ongoing emergency in the area.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that these restrictions are necessary for reasons affecting the public interest due to an emergency that has arisen in the Lewes area.
The Regulations state that the restrictions are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has passed.
Proponents of the measure would argue that restricting general air traffic facilitates the safe operation of emergency services and law enforcement in the affected zone.
Arguments Against
Legal observers may note that the document does not specify the exact nature of the emergency, leading to potential ambiguity regarding the necessity and duration of the restrictions.
Civil aviation operators and private pilots may face disruption to planned flight paths within the 1.5 nautical mile radius of Lewes.
Critics might argue that immediate commencement without prior notice limits the ability of local airfield operators to inform pilots, potentially leading to accidental incursions.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Lewes, East Sussex) (Emergency) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 and they come into force with immediate effect.
This section provides the official name for the regulations and states that they become legally binding immediately upon being signed.
This ensures the flight restrictions apply without the usual delay between the signing of a statutory instrument and its commencement.
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 British Transport Police.
These sections define the physical boundaries and height limits of the restricted airspace, prohibiting any flight below 3,000 feet within a 1.5 nautical mile radius of the center of Lewes.
They also create a specific exemption for aircraft that are following instructions provided by the British Transport Police.
Revocation of Regulations
- The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Lewes, East Sussex) (Emergency) Regulations 2026( b ) are revoked.
This section formally cancels the previous version of the emergency regulations for Lewes (S.I. 2026/919).
This serves to replace the old rules with the updated provisions found in this current document.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Lewes, East Sussex | 1.5 nautical miles | 505301N 00000W |
The Schedule provides the precise geographical coordinates and dimensions for the restricted zone.
It sets the center at 50°53’01”N 000°00’W and establishes a circular boundary with a radius of 1.5 nautical miles.
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