CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed a decision by district councillors to voice strong objections to plans for a massive increase in gliding activity at RAF Little Rissington.

Members of the development control sub-committee (north) voted almost unanimously yesterday (Wednesday) to object to the plans put forward by the Ministry of Defence, which would see the total number of glider flights go from about 4,000 a year to 18,700.

Opponent, Tony Ellam, of the Keep the Peace in the Cotswolds campaign, said he was delighted with the strength of councillors' feelings. "I almost burst into tears," he said "I think it sends a clear, strong message to the MoD."

He added: "We hope that the MoD will take note of that. If they don't then they are really flying in the face of local opinion and going against the wishes of our elected councillors.

"There are other airfields and it seems wrong to me to impose this on the area of outstanding natural beauty, the community and all the visitors who come here when it is largely a recreational activity."

Planning officer Kevin Field told the committee that the number of noisy airtow flights would increase to 8,100 and the number of winched flights to 6,300. There will also be an increase in the number of powered glider flights.

The scheme would see the Joint Services Adventure Training Gliding Instruction and Royal Air Force Gliding Association move from Bicester to Rissington to join the existing Air Training Corps on the site.

The proposal includes building a new hangar on the base and demolishing three others, but residents of nearby villages say the scheme would greatly increase the noise nuisance from the airfield and the amount of traffic travelling to and from the site. They say that few of the flights will have any military use.

Councillor Tim Royle told yesterday's meeting: "I would hope that we would be able to reassure the inhabitants of that area, so that they are no longer feeling threatened and uncertain as to the future of their homes, living conditions and their roads."

He said he had met with defence minister Baroness Symons and said he believed that given the weight of objection to the Rissington scheme, the MoD might decide not to go ahead with it.