Leicester Airport could be buried under an ‘Eco-town’
Leicester Airport is under serious threat of closure after the local Co-op and English Partnerships put forward plans to develop the airfield and the surrounding green belt with a 15,000 – 20,000 house Eco Town provisionally to be called Pennbury. The scheme is one of more than 50 bids from around the UK submitted to the Government, of which 10 will be selected by the end of March 2008.Leicestershire Aero Club, which has been based at the airport since 1949 and can trace its beginnings back to 1909, has 14 years left on its current lease. Leicester Airport is the only licensed airport in Leicestershire and finding a new home in the county for its 500 members, 30 staff and 80 home based aircraft, would be very difficult if the airfield was forced to close. The airfield is home to a thriving recreational community as well as a club run training facility for PPL, CPL, IR and FIC ratingsVisiting pilots are asked to sign a petition when they book in or register their objections on the Governments e-petition web site at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PennburyEcoTown/
