FIERCELY debated plans to construct a helicopter base in Almondsbury have been referred to a South Gloucestershire planning committee.

A planning application to develop greenbelt land adjacent to the Almondsbury Interchange for use by the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity and police helicopter services was submitted in April and was met with widespread condemnation by a large number of Almondsbury residents.

At a meeting of Almondsbury Parish Council in May councillors also made public their objections to the proposals.

The application was referred to South Gloucestershire Council’s planning committees by Cllr Keith Burchell, ward councillor for Almondsbury, to examine concerns with potential noise and traffic problems the development could create.

The MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, Jack Lopresti, has urged BAE Systems, who house the two services, to honour its promise to find a site on Filton Airfield for them to operate from.

He has organised a public meeting to give the opportunity for residents to question representatives from the air ambulance, BAE Systems and South Gloucestershire Council. The meeting will be held tomorrow (June 19) at 7pm at BAWA Club, Filton.

South Gloucestershire Council’s Development Control (West) inspections sub-committee will also visit the site tomorrow prior to making a decision on the proposals in the coming weeks.