PLANS to build one of the country’s first ‘eco hangars’ in Leigh Sinton have been given the go-ahead despite being labelled ‘wholly inappropriate’.
The application set out proposals to remove the existing buildings on the Ashfields site and replace it with a single hangar – which will be double its size – to house two aircraft.
Despite one of the planes set to be an eco build, Coun Sarah Rouse, councillor for the area, said the new building had ‘no eco credentials at all’.
“The development will not bring any economic benefit, will not bring any social benefit and will not bring any environmental benefit,” she said.
“It will bring harm to the visual appearance of the landscape and the only person to benefit from this development is the applicant.”
Coun Tony Warburton added: “If a new building is required it has to be kept to a minimum as to what is in line with the essential confinements of the activity.
“I looked up the word essential and it says ‘important and fundamental’ – now I ask is having two aircraft and a choice of two to use important and fundamental? I don’t think for a minute it is.
“I consider this to be a wholly inappropriate proposal.”
Planning permission was given for the original buildings on appeal in 2013 and the new site, which could house up to 12 cars, can be used for 28 days a year.
Despite objections from residents and the parish council, applicant Peter Wood said the hangar needed to be bigger to fit the eco plane’s wing span.
“All I am trying to do is replace the building with a plane that is greener and allows quieter flights on my own land,” he said.
“The only reason the building needs to be bigger is that for the plane to be more efficient it needs a wider wing span.”
Councillors approved the proposal by eight votes to six at a Northern Area Development Management Committee meeting on Wednesday (September 2).
