AN application to allow as many as 8,000 flights in and out of an aerodrome will be decided at an appeal.

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome applied for an extension in operational arrangements in October last year.

The application, brought forward by the airfield’s board of trustees, would have seen the aerodrome allowed to launch up to 25 landings and take offs each day.

During weekends and bank holidays in the summer months that would have been be extended to 50, and up to 75 on categorised flying days, which would have had to be arranged two weeks in advance with the council and limited to seven per year.

Previous planning conditions limited the site to 360 movements per year so the application represented a massive increase.

At a full council meeting in July, Maldon District Council councillors voted to refuse the application despite the proposal being recommended for approval by the council’s planning officer.

Residents had expressed concerns about the increase in noise and disruption in the area, a fear which led councillors to vote against the plans.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Beverley Acevedo said: “I think this facility is exceptional for many reasons.

“However, if I lived there I would not be happy to accept a 22 fold increase in flight numbers. I do not believe that this increase is fair on the residents local to the airfield.”

David Sismey agreed, adding: “I could happily live with a doubling or tripling, or perhaps even quadrupling of the flights, but we are talking about a 22 fold increase in traffic which is unacceptable without knowing the real life implications of that change.”

On September 27 the aerodrome launched an appeal against the decision.

The appeal will be determined by the Secretary of State on the basis of written representations from both sides.

Ian Flint, Chief Executive of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome Trust, said: “Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome Trust are appealing the decision on our application as we do not agree with the decision reached.

“Increased flight movements are vital to secure the long-term future of this hugely important heritage attraction.”

Last month the aerodrome was handed £4.3 million in grant funding.

The First World War airfield, in Hackmans Lane, Purleigh, near Maldon, was established in 1916 and was granted the money from the National Lottery to restore a number of buildings on the site, which will be made into visitor attractions.

Twenty four structures survive, relatively unaltered since the aerodrome was taken on of service in 1919. Since 2015 one-by-one the buildings have started to be restored and more improvements are being made.