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On the local news bulletin for the West Country on BBC's TV Breakfast news recently there was an item describing the fact that £3 million was being spent on rebuilding (not renovating) three huts/hangars at RAF Yatesbury, due to their historic interest'.

While I respect that the training that took place in Yatesbury contributed significantly to the war effort and indirectly gave me the chance to write freely to the press, I am astounded that such a large sum of money has been earmarked for this project. I have searched the internet for details of the funding for this and I cannot find any useful information, so I'm wondering if any of your readers can elaborate.

If the site is being developed for housing then hopefully the builder is contributing towards the cost of the project and it's not coming out of the public purse.

If it's English Heritage that's supporting it then I would like the dictionary to redefine heritage', as I cannot see any architectural beauty in these buildings, and I would question the historical significance in the wider sense. I wonder how many visitors this site might attract in the future, apart from those who served there?

The thing that really bugs me is that I have recently been involved in trying to raise funds for a much-needed hydrotherapy pool for St Nicholas School in Chippenham, and just 10 per cent of the budget for the Yatesbury project would bring that to fruition.

Surely the needs of our present generation should rank higher in priority than that of some derelict buildings last used 60 years ago?

If the funding is from Government sources, be it national or local, I will be disappointed, but not necessarily surprised, given that I am already bailing out Northern Rock.

I do hope that someone reading this can shed' some light on this, just to put my mind at rest.

Mike Oakes, Wells Close, Chippenham

3:23pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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