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NEWS & SOCIAL
EVENTS
Planning
Application Update 8/2/12
We are
delighted to advise all our members and friends that, at its meeting
on Monday,
the Planning Committee unanimously rejected our landlords' latest
planning application
(to install solar panels on the runway).
The
next step in our fight to stay at Enstone is the Court Hearing at
which we will be asking
for an extension to our lease. This Hearing is expected to be
in March or April, but we will
post the actual date here when we know it.
In the
meantime, please come along to the meeting on Saturday 18th February
(see below).
Future of the
Airfield Meeting 18/2/12
Hopefully all our members and friends have now received an e-mail
from
the Airfield Fund Committee about a meeting they have called for
18th February
(by which time we should know the outcome of our landlords' latest
planning application).
If you have not received the e-mail, please
click here to see
a copy of it.
As noted in the e-mail, further contributions to the fighting fund
will be very welcome.
New Planning
Application January 2012
Our
Landlords have submitted a fresh Planning Application, this time to
erect solar panels on part of the runway, which is due to be heard
by the
Council at the beginning of February 2012.
Click here for further details.
New Aircraft
We are
pleased to announce that we have added another aircraft
to our fleet, an IMC equipped Piper Tomahawk which is available
for £112 per hour solo or £132 per hour dual. This is a very
competitive rate, so why not call us now to book some time in it!
We are
also pleased to announce that the Grob 109 has been
refurbished to a very high standard, including a new engine.
Both
the Tomahawk and the Grob are available for hire for
foreign touring with lifejackets and a life raft.
Airfield
update 17/6/11
At
their meeting last week, the Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee
unanimously rejected the planning application submitted by our
landlords.
The
next hurdle is to persuade the Court that our lease should be
renewed
and we will let you know as soon as we have a date for the Court
hearing.
Airfield
update 29/5/11
The
planning application submitted by our landlords is due to be
considered by the
Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee at 2 p.m. on Monday 6th June.
The venue
and agenda for the meeting can be found here:
http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/files/agendas/1789.pdf
If you
wish to speak at the meeting please read the following document
for the procedures and guidelines:
http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/files/download/8336-4034.pdf
As you
will see, to be allowed to speak you need to register with Committee
Services
on 01993 861523 no later than 12 noon on Friday 3rd June.
BARBECUES
From
Saturday 28th May we will be holding a barbecue on the
last
Saturday of every month until the end of September.
The
barbecues commence after flying has ceased for the day (usually
around 6 p.m.).
Bring
your own food and drink.
We look
forward to seeing you!
Airfield
update 18/5/11
The
deadline for objections to the planning application submitted by our
landlords is
1st June, so if you wish to object please ensure that you do so as
soon as possible.
Objections can be sent
by letter to:
Head of Planning Services,
West Oxfordshire District Council,
Elmfield,
New Yatt Road,
Witney
OX28 1PB
or by e-mail either direct to the Planning Officer jon.westerman@westoxon.gov.uk
or to planning@westoxon.gov.uk
Whichever method is used, the application number must be quoted
– 11/0607/P/OP
There are limited
grounds on which you can object to the application (for example,
the
Council is not obliged to ensure that there are airfields
available, so merely objecting
because Enstone would no longer be able to operate as an
airfield is not enough).
However, valid grounds
for objection could include
the loss of jobs at the
airfield
(there are 3 flight schools at Enstone), the environmental and
visual impact on the
countryside, increased traffic on the local roads, the fact that
there would appear
to be no need or demand for more industrial units in that area
and the detrimental
effect that the loss of the airfield would have on the local
economy (people using or
visiting Enstone regularly use the local garage, shops, pubs and
Heythrop Park Hotel).
Airfield
update 9/5/11
Our
landlords have filed a defence with the Court to our claim to have
our
lease renewed and have also submitted a planning application to West
Oxfordshire District Council. If you want to look at the
application online go to
http://planning.westoxon.gov.uk/MVM/Online/PL/ApplicationSearch.aspx
and search for reference 11/0607/P/OP, but basically they are
applying
to erect industrial units at right-angles across the runway just to
the west
of our clubhouse. This would, of course, prevent any flying
from the airfield.
We will post the Court hearing date here as soon as we know it.
Airfield update
Regarding the threat to Enstone airfield and Oxfordshire
Sportflying's
operation (see below), the advice from the senior Barrister was
encouraging
and we have therefore instructed our Solicitors to go ahead with
Court
proceedings in an effort to have our lease renewed.
This
will mean that we will be staying at Enstone until the Court
hearing, the
date of which will be posted here as soon as we know it.
Thank
you to everyone who has so far contributed to the fighting fund
for which we are still accepting donations.
Enstone airfield
under threat
By now
all members should have received an e-mail advising them that
the airfield, and Oxfordshire Sportflying's operation at Enstone, is
under threat as a result of our landlord's refusal to renew our
lease
when it expires on 31st March.
Our
solicitors have advised us that the landlord, Lomond Holdings, can
only refuse to renew the lease if they can prove their intent to use
the
property for their own purposes. They have further advised us
that
their stated plans to put industrial buildings and solar panels on
the
site do not meet the laid down criteria and that a legal challenge
to
their notice would almost certainly be successful.
The next step is to have this advice confirmed and supported by a
senior Barrister and for this we have set up a fighting fund.
This fund is independent of Oxfordshire Sportflying Ltd and will
only
be used for the legal costs incurred in fighting the refusal to
renew the
lease. We have therefore set up a separate bank account for
this and would
ask our members to consider donating whatever they are comfortable
with.
We
appreciate that members' personal circumstances vary, but perhaps
you would consider donating the cost of an hour or two's flying, as
an amount
of between £100 and £200 per member is likely to raise the necessary
funds.
Cheques, payable to Enstone Airfield Fund, can be sent to us at:-
Enstone Airfield Fund
c/o Oxfordshire Sportflying
Enstone Aerodrome
Church Enstone
Oxfordshire OX7 4NP
Alternatively, the money can be transferred direct to the account:-
Account
name: Enstone Airfield Fund
Sort Code: 40-47-17
Account Number: 22698722
If
transferring the money direct, please include your name in the
payment reference field so that all receipts are identifiable.
We
would stress that the money you pay into the fund is not an
unqualified donation,
but rather a deposit to ensure that sufficient funds are in place to
defend this
challenge to the airfield. A register will be kept of all
contributions so that any
surplus can be returned to contributors pro rata and we would like
to thank you all
in advance for your support.
TWITTER
From
Saturday 19th June, Oxfordshire Sportflying will be tweeting!
Click
on the link on our home page to follow us on Twitter, where
we will endeavour to post regular updates on the flying weather,
how busy we are, instructor availability etc.
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