THE future of Old Sarum airfield will be decided via a public inquiry which begins at 10am on Tuesday (October 9).

Anyone can attend the hearings at the City Hall, which are expected to last up to eight working days, with a break on Monday October 15.

And they may take part in the discussion at the discretion of the presiding government inspector.

The airfield’s operators applied three years ago for outline planning permission to build more than 460 homes around the airfield, which is a conservation area and includes listed buildings, and to create what they called a 'flying hub' complete with a heritage centre, visitor centre, restaurant and new control tower.

They claimed that without this development, the airfield would not be viable.

More than 450 letters of objection were sent in to Wiltshire Council, along with a 1,500-signature petition, and a Facebook protest group, SOS – Save Old Sarum was set up, gathering 1,100 members.

Salisbury City Council opposed the scheme, as did Laverstock and Ford Parish Council and Winterbourne Parish Council.

Fears were expressed that development on such a scale would make continued flying impossible.

Wiltshire Council held lengthy discussions with the owners before the owners submitted an appeal to the planning inspectorate on grounds of ‘non-determination’.

The council has told the inspector that the scheme is unacceptable.

You can see its reasons via the following link.