Annies Field Microlight Site

The specific reason for the closure is not publicly documented, which is common for small, privately-owned airfields. The gradual reversion of the runway to farmland, as seen in satellite imagery, strongly suggests the closure was due to the owner's personal decision, such as retirement, sale of the land, or cessation of flying activities for economic reasons. There is no evidence to suggest it was closed due to a specific accident, regulatory action, or local planning dispute.

The site at coordinates 51.751637, 0.699028 has been fully returned to agricultural use. The land where the runway once existed is now a field, likely used for grazing or growing hay. From the air, the faint outline of the former runway is still discernible, but on the ground, it is indistinguishable from the surrounding farmland. All aviation-related infrastructure has been removed, and the site is no longer active or identifiable as an airfield.

Annies Field was a classic example of a small, private UK grass airstrip dedicated to recreational flying. Its significance was local, providing a base for microlight pilots in the Maldon and wider Essex area. It operated as an unlicensed airfield on a 'Prior Permission Required' (PPR) basis. The site featured a single grass runway, oriented approximately 01/19, with a length of around 400 meters. Operations would have consisted exclusively of light recreational aircraft, primarily flex-wing and 3-axis microlights, for local flights and training by a small community of enthusiasts.

There are no known or published plans to reopen Annies Field. Given that the land has been re-purposed for agriculture and the site has been officially closed for several years, the prospect of it reopening as an airfield is considered extremely low to non-existent. Any such effort would require a new landowner with an aviation interest, significant investment, and a full planning application process, which would be a substantial undertaking.