“As I said, bureaucratic stupidity angers me. I assume from the lack of positive replies that no-one has actually done this by asking the DGAC.”
I think this has been done. I have read several posts on various BBs, and I have bumped into people at fly ins who say they had done it, but as I have a CAA PPL I did not take too much notice. Why not just apply and see what happens, you have nothing to loose. The Micro license did have the same restriction but it got removed because the authorities were being inundated with requests and they won the right to fly.
The new European NPPL (based on our NPPL) is expected to come in next year and will give you the right to fly in Europe anyway.
The weight increase on a Eurostar VLA over a micro is very worthwhile, you could even paint it
Rod1