I READ the article (June 11) on the development of Filton airfield for housing (although I have known this for some time) which fills me with great sadness that a golden opportunity for the local area is being destroyed and lost forever.

This airfield, a magnificent asset/infrastructure, could be developed for long haul flights at considerably less cost than a third runway at Heathrow. Also the Filton runway is almost geographically in line with Heathrow.

More of the advantages of this alternative runway are as follows:

1. This airfield has one of the longest runways in Britain.

2. There is plenty of room to build the support services, terminals, carparks,

hangars etc.

3. Close proximity to Parkway inter-city railway station – 1 hour 30 to central London, also a railway line runs through the site where a station could be constructed.

4. Only one mile from M4/M5 interchange.

5. Support staff would be far easier to recruit than in the London area.

6. Aircraft take off and approach would be over less populated areas so the noise would affect far less people.

7. The airfield is directly under the air corridor to the USA, Canada and Central/South America. If you look up on a clear day you will see many contrails of these airliners which you can plot on the internet.

This is a national asset which looks like will end up as a housing estate. A national tragedy is happening before our very eyes. Where are the entrepreneurs with the drive to develop this site into an excellent international airport and giving infrastructure and employment which would benefit the area and country as a whole. But I think the people who want a housing estate, BAE Systems and the government (local and national) have colluded to prevent this happening.

Mr Cameron keeps barking on about building infrastructure but in this instance his government is colluding in destroying it.

A golden opportunity is being missed, a very tragic and sad state of affairs for this country!

Michael W Boulton C.Eng. M.I.Mech.E. M.R.Ae.S.

Swallow Park

Thornbury