A PLANNING inspector has refused to award costs after an appeal over plans for Old Sarum Airfield.

This comes after a length planning inquiry after an appeal was made by Old Sarum Airfield Limited against Wiltshire Council.

The operators were looking to build 462 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.

Planning inspector Frances Mahoney turned down the appeal and refused planning permission over plans to build 462 homes on Old Sarum Airfield.

An application for partial costs was made by Old Sarum Airfield Limited (Grenville Hodge) while Wiltshire Council applied for full costs to be awarded.

Inspector Frances Mahoney said she found "unreasonable behaviour" on both sides but "for an award of costs to be successful there has to be wasted or unnecessary expense."

She added: "Given the final entrenched positions of both parties, I do not see that the inquiry could have been avoided, entailing the necessary preparation, presentation and examination of the related evidence.

"All in all therefore, I am not persuaded that the actions of either party have led to unnecessary or wasted expense being incurred by the other party in this case.

"To conclude, I find that unreasonable behaviour resulting in unnecessary or wasted expense, as described in the planning guidance, has not been demonstrated and that no award of costs to be either party is justified in this instance."

Aircraft owners have been given three months' notice to leave Old Sarum Airfield as the owners consider the future of the site.

In a letter sent by Old Sarum Airfield Limited that has been seen by the Journal it says that licences will be terminated on October 31 and licence owners will not be able to return to the site after this date.