I don't believe the UK planning system is open to plain "bag of money" corruption, like say (to pick a blatent example) Spain.
The biggest hassle in the UK system is the planning committee, which is usually a bunch of well meaning politicans who can't read a drawing, have never been to the site, and the way for a clever planning consultant to play them is to pick the one who objects most vigorously (usually a Conservative councillor) and do a deal with him under which the application which bothers him most gets sacrificed (or resubmitted with modifications) in return for him not voting down a dozen house extensions and conservatories.
It's possible that plain bribes do exist but they would be rare and bribing the one man would not be useful except in unusual circumstances. I am familiar with two Cons councillors who have been canvassing locals to turn up at the cttee meeting and object, and have been harrassing architects to chuck in the job and delay the project. The former is certainly illegal. However, when you have mad people like this in the system, bribes aren't likely to work.
An application for an airfield, or even a private grass strip with a shed and just a few movements per week, would be controversial all round and even the Lib Dems (those that bother to turn up) are likely to vote against.
Such a job would have to be planned from the outset to
- not contravene local planning policy (obviously)
- probably fail with the planning officer
- definitely fail in the planning committee
- will definitely go to appeal (takes a year nowadays)
- will probably be granted on appeal
- will almost certainly be granted at a counsel-represented DofE enquiry
- most likely you will have to apply for more movements etc initially so there is room to negotiate downwards along the way
Planning cost? About £20k plus expert evidence like noise surveys. But it
is possible, from what I can find out. The biggest problem is that everybody thinks it isn't possible, so there is very little overt precedent and the country is full of strips operating under the 28-day rule which, if not breached by a wide margin, is frankly not enough because 1 flight every fortnight is barely enough to keep the engine oiled.
It would help if
- there was road access (getting planning for an access road is hard)
- a nearby major road makes noise, which helps
- a major road too close is a problem because a plane "will" crash onto it
- pick a field with no nearby houses
- pick a field with a shed already there
- if you need to remove a hedge (to get the length) that's a big problem, but if that hedge disappears before the planning application goes in......
Always remember with planning: residents' complains mean little unless they identify specific areas of planning policy. If you don't breach planning policy in the application, and are ready to go to appeal from day 1, they can complain as much as they want.
With a planning consultant who knows his stuff, planning policy will not be breached, but you need somebody who does a bit more than conservatories...
Most smart planning consultants work using quiet deals and connections (often not disclosed to the client) and due to the controversial nature of this kind of project it can be difficult to find one who is local and will take on the project. A firm of planning solicitors might take it on but their #1 man (who could be an ex chief of planning for the local authority
) probably won't handle it himself.