THE plan to transform Cotswold Airport into a sustainable village as laid out in Commercial Estate Group’s vision document is most exciting.

Many people would relish living in a green village with fine sports and recreational facilities, where they can work and have a school for their children.

Building homes at the airport could provide a solution that would satisfy many who are opposing the plans at Chesterton.

But CEG have a lot of work to do if they are to convince Cotswold District Council to change its Local Plan, as the planning team at the council has worked long and hard to provide evidence to support the allocation of land at Chesterton.

CEG’s document includes many fine ideas for the site, complete with pictures, but if they are to convince the council and the public that the development will work then they have to work hard with them through the consultation they promise.

John Thompson & Partners, the architects charged with running the consultation on the Chesterton development, have disappointed many residents by not answering many concerns on how the infrastructure of Cirencester would cope.

Assuming the council do not dismiss out of hand the plans for the Cotswold Airport site, CEG need to learn from Chesterton and ensure that they give people the answers they need quickly through the consultation process.