AN application to allow as many as 8,000 flight movements from Stow Maries Aerodrome each year has been rejected by Maldon District Council.

The proposal, brought forward by the airfield’s board of trustees, applied to the council to alter the operational arrangements.

The application would have seen the aerodrome allowed to house 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.

A decision was delayed to yesterday’s meeting after a planning officer initially recommended the proposal for approval by the council’s planning officer.

Residents had expressed concerns about the increase in noise and disruption in the area, and councillors voted to reject the plans.

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.”