Henry Boot Developments Submits Planning for £120M Duxford AvTech Campus at IWM Duxford

A planning application has been submitted for a proposed £120 million aviation technology campus at IWM Duxford in South Cambridgeshire, dedicated to developing low and zero-carbon aircraft technology. HBD, the development arm of Henry Boot, announced the filing on Nov. 11, 2026. The company is progressing the Duxford AvTech scheme in partnership with IWM Duxford and Gonville and Caius College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.

Duxford AvTech Campus: Scheme Details

Duxford AvTech comprises 425,000 sq ft of high-specification "mid-tech" research, development and manufacturing space. The proposals include a series of flexible mid-tech buildings, new public realm, green spaces, and walking and cycling routes. The campus is designed to provide the specialist facilities and infrastructure needed to support the growth of aviation technology businesses and their supply chains, helping companies move from research and development into commercial production.

The site is approximately eight miles south of Cambridge city centre. The planning application includes a detailed application for Phase 1B, which consists of 35,000 sq ft in a single building divided into five units of 7,000 sq ft each.

Airstrip Access and Cambridge Research Links

The campus would sit alongside IWM Duxford's historic airfield and close to the University of Cambridge's Whittle Laboratory. It would benefit from access to IWM Duxford's Civil Aviation Authority airstrip. The Director of the Whittle Laboratory has written in support of the proposals, highlighting the opportunity to bring together Cambridge's research expertise and talent with the facilities and runway access required by aviation businesses.

Hamer Boot, Managing Director at HBD, said: "Submitting the planning application is an important step forward for Duxford AvTech. We have worked closely with our partners to develop proposals that respond to the needs of the aviation technology sector and provide the right environment for businesses to grow."

He added: "By bringing together specialist research, development and manufacturing space with access to an airstrip and Cambridge's world-leading research expertise, the campus has the potential to make a significant contribution to the future of aviation technology in the UK."

Separate IWM Lab Project

In addition to the AvTech campus, plans are progressing for a new 105,000 sq ft IWM Lab, which is being delivered separately by IWM. The building would support specialist conservation work, provide training and apprenticeships, and offer guided tours and open days to help the public understand how historic aircraft and artefacts are preserved.

IWM recently announced more than £10 million of new funding for IWM Lab, including a grant of up to £10 million from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. A further £15 million is needed to fully fund the project, and IWM is continuing its fundraising campaign.

Market Context for Henry Boot Developments

The Duxford AvTech scheme is at the planning stage. Henry Boot's latest annual-report materials place its development pipeline at approximately £1.4 billion on the group's share, equivalent to about 7 million sq ft, with Duxford AvTech identified as a £120 million project. A separate company results announcement describes the broader pipeline as £1.7 billion, with 55% concentrated in industrial and logistics development.

Henry Boot reported group profit before tax of £29.1 million for 2025, down 5% from £30.7 million in 2024. HBD completed projects with a total gross development value of £119 million, equivalent to £33 million on Henry Boot's share, with 32% of those schemes pre-let or pre-sold. The company also reported a committed development programme of £66 million GDV, or £18 million on its share.

Demand for science-related space in the wider region has remained active. Science-related real estate take-up across the London–Oxford–Cambridge "Golden Triangle" reached 457,000 sq ft in the first quarter of 2026, 35% above the five-year quarterly average.

Outlook

The proposal targets the gap between laboratory research and scaled manufacturing for companies developing low- and zero-carbon aircraft technologies. The scheme combines a Cambridge research connection with access to an operational airstrip, and it is separate from the IWM Lab project that is being funded and delivered by IWM.

Sources

HBD: Planning submitted for £120m Duxford AvTech scheme