Ive just spoken to the man on the controlling authority telephone no. as I am due to fly out of Fairoaks on Friday.
With his permission I asked can I relay the reasons, for sizing and operational restrictions and he agreed that I could do 'what i felt appropriate', please bear in mind that I am not quoting him directly (so don't moan at him, if I have got this wrong, it is my fault) as I did not record the conversation.
The size has changed as they are looking at multiple premises and if they put a 2 mile exclusion around each of them it would have made something even worse to navigate around.
DEFRA are not trying to stop the local flyer in the pursuit of their legitimite business but do appear to want to keep the noise issue above the affected cattle to a minimum. They are working with the flying schools (or possibly the airfield cant remeber) at Fairoaks to come up with an agreed but restricitve way in and out of the Fairoaks ATZ.
He did not think that my request to leave Fairoaks due south and route around the zone towards Farnborough would seen unfavourlably and whilst I have not yet received a written permission, I was told to expect some form of reference no to quote to ATC.
They don't particularly want to be bombarded with requests from us (just because of Workload) but if the ATSU at the airfields concerned can't help or haven't managed to sort out an agreed procedure, then Individual operators can feel free to contact the emergency contact no in the Notam for permissions, and can expect subject to the needs af DEFRA at the affected sites a fairly favourable response (my words).
I don't believe I've added or removed too much by way of Chinese whisper, but the guy I spoke was very helpful and although not an aviation man very mindful of what we are trying to achieve, whilst carrying his job aswell.
Gary