Sir, – I feel that I must write in reply to your rather unbalanced article re the proposed developments at Bagby Airfield.

These proposed developments have already been the subject of much discussion in this newspaper, and so I will not reiterate the history. However, it is important to know that since Mr M Scott, a partner in Walker Morris solicitors of Leeds, purchased this land in 2007, there have been a number of changes which have not been the subject of the planning control system which the rest of us have to follow.

The net result of these changes is that Bagby Airfield has changed from being a small hobby airfield into a commercial operation.

In April last year, Mr Scott sought planning approval for a hotel and to regularise the changes which had already been made. This application was rejected unanimously by the planning committee.

This latest application, while scaling down the hotel element, still seeks to regularise these unauthorised changes, thus allowing the commercial elements of the airfield to be developed further. It also includes a massive increase in the provision of hangars.

An open evening was recently held in the local pub in Bagby at which Mr Scott’s planning consultants presented this latest application.

The evening was attended by a Hambleton District Council official. There was a clear consensus against the proposed developments: five people supported the developments and 116 were clear in their opposition.

Can we be any clearer than that? The people of Bagby and the surrounding area are not against the existence of the airfield as was, but are totally against its development as a commercial airport.

I hope this factual account of the recent events concerning the proposed developments at Bagby Airfield will help to redress the incorrect tone of your recent report.

BOB CHAPMAN Bagby Grange Cottages, Bagby.