Homeowners furious that airfield is expanding

1:42pm Friday 5th September 2008

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HOMEOWNERS fed-up with loud aircraft noise have launched a forum to vent their frustrations.

A group of residents in Wotton-under-Edge have set up a forum to discuss the aircraft noise above their homes, which they believe is due to the expanding airfield at Kemble.

Their hopes of the noise ending were raised after hearing that a judicial review is set to take place into whether expansion plans should ever have been agreed.

The expansion has been a controversial topic because the airfield is in both Cotswold District Council and North Wiltshire District Council.

In June Cotswold councillors agreed to grant a Certificate of Lawful Use to the operators of Kemble airfield, which allows them to use the airfield for general flying activities.

North Wiltshire council have confirmed they are challenging that decision in the High Court.

A spokeswoman for North Wiltshire District Council said: "The council is challenging the decision in the High Court, on the basis that the decision by Cotswold District Council to grant the certificate was flawed and unlawful on a number of grounds.

"These include a failure to adequately describe both the land to which the certificate was to relate and the activities that were to be permitted by the certificate and also a failure by its planning committee to properly consider all relevant evidence."

Members of the new forum, called Cotswold Air Noise, will be discussing how they can help strengthen the case for the judicial review.

A member of the forum said: "If there is a judicial review they will need evidence that the increase in aircraft is having a detrimental effect on the surrounding area so people putting their name to the campaign will help.

"A lot of people in Wotton and even as far as Dursley say they can hear loud aircraft noise when they are out in their garden and we are fed-up with it."

Cllr John Cordwell, county councillor for Wotton, said: "The feeling in Wotton and surrounding areas is that a number of aircraft, which people believe come from Kemble, are flying overhead causing noise.

"Certainly when I have brought the subject up a meetings one or two residents have said that they have been disturbed by the noise and I will continue to support the campaign to stop Kemble expanding."

To join the forum, log on to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cotswoldairnoise/.