The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Litchborough, Northamptonshire) (Emergency) Regulations 2026

Published: Wed 29th Jul 26

Prohibited aircraft from flying below 2,500 feet within 0.5 nautical miles of Litchborough due to an emergency.

These Regulations establish a restricted airspace zone near Litchborough, Northamptonshire, effective immediately from July 29, 2026.

They prohibit all aircraft from flying below 2,500 feet above mean sea level within a 0.5 nautical mile radius of a specified central coordinate.

These restrictions apply to all civil and military aviation, with an exception granted only to aircraft operating under the direction of the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Arguments For

The Secretary of State considers these restrictions necessary for a reason affecting the public interest due to an emergency that has arisen in the area.
The Regulations intended to provide a safe operating environment for emergency services by preventing unauthorized aircraft from entering the specified airspace.
The document states that the restrictions are temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has passed.
The measure is authorized under article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, which allows the Secretary of State to restrict flying in the event of an emergency.

Arguments Against

Local aircraft operators and private pilots may experience immediate disruption to planned flight paths without prior notice due to the "immediate effect" commencement.
The document does not specify the exact nature of the emergency, which may lead to uncertainty for the public regarding the duration or severity of the incident.
The geographic restriction is defined by specific coordinates and a nautical mile radius, which may be difficult for recreational drone operators or low-altitude pilots to identify without sophisticated navigation equipment.

Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Litchborough, Northamptonshire) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.

This section establishes the official name of the statutory instrument.

It mandates that the legal restrictions take effect the moment the document is signed and issued, rather than at a future date.

Restricted airspace

No aircraft is to fly below 2,500 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 Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

These sections define the vertical and horizontal boundaries of the no-fly zone, setting a ceiling at 2,500 feet above mean sea level.

They prohibit all unauthorized flights within a 0.5 nautical mile radius of the coordinates 521028N 0010446W. Regulation 3 creates a specific exemption for aircraft commanded by the local fire and rescue service, allowing them to coordinate emergency response flights within the restricted zone.

SCHEDULE

Regulation 2

Table 1

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Litchborough, | 0.5 nautical miles | 521028N 0010446W | | Northamptonshire | | |

The schedule provides the precise geographical data for the flight restriction.

It specifies the location as Litchborough, Northamptonshire, and defines the restricted zone as a circle with a radius of 0.5 nautical miles centered on the provided latitude and longitude coordinates.

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