I refer to the letter about skydiving from Mr & Mrs Pattison, (Letters October 1)

Due to the proximity of this airfield (approx 750 metres from the residential areas of Covingham, Dorcan, Liden and Wanborough) the Planning Committee granted Temporary Permission, to run from January 1, 2001 until August 2003 to evaluate any noise nuisance.

This is considered the norm for all new airfields in close proximity to residential areas. A wise decision, as a skydiving airfield could prove to be noisier than most due to the circling aircraft.

The trial period was subsequently cut short when the farmer, Mr Smith, applied for the permission to become permanent in 2002. The reason was because the parachute club (from whom he receives income) wanted to purchase some second-hand parachutes (they had been renting parachutes).

For some reason, a council officer saw this, and the fact that the council had received no complaints regarding noise, as the "all clear" and proceeded to write a report to the Planning Committee in favour of granting Full Permission. This was granted on April 8, 2002.

The council did not enquire how much flying actually took place during this curtailed trial period. There was very little, that's why there were no letters of complaint.

Had the evaluation been allowed to run its full course, it is almost certain that planning permission would have been refused and nearly 1,000 residents would not be seeking discontinuance action, their summer weekends now ruined by this noise nuisance.

A Barnes

Swindon