I've been based at Kemble for the last couple of years and this hassle and crap from the council is getting ridiculous. Considering that Kemble offered to pay the legal costs of Novembers farce where the hearing was scrapped because the council failed to prepare the notice correctly (costs in the region of £750,000 to the taxpayer) this is a bit rich.
Kemble has always been used as an airfield for all activities associated with such an establishment. An airfield is an airfield, planes fly in and planes fly out. Whether they train, perform, tow, fly in for maintenance or breakage, it totally irrelevant. Last year Kemble was told to apply for the said notice, which they did - and now the council refuse it? BOTH Cotswold District Council AND North Wilts Council WROTE to Kemble Air Services when they purchased the airfield from the MOD in 2001, and advised them that planning permission was not required.
Considering also that the airfield fell into private ownership in 2001, it is difficult to prove there has been 10 years of private flying training taking place there, though let's remember that the Red Arrows were based there for many years (training were they?) Funny how the residents and council didn't have a problem with 10 Gnats and later Hawks flying around the local area but clearly a PA28 is a step too far.
Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I'm sick of hearing about the council trying to get at Kemble. Maybe they'd rather Ronan Harvey (the owner) sold the entire airfield to gypsies - that's give the council something to complain about.