RESIDENTS hope a compromise will be made as the future of a gliding club operating at a historic Bicester airfield remains uncertain.

Bicester Gliding Club could lose its premises at RAF Bicester off Skimmingdish Lane, as it refused to agree on new terms of its lease proposed by owners, Bicester Motion.

Bicester Motion wanted to end the club’s ‘exclusive use’ of the airfield and become the ‘aviation operator’ at the site.

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This means the club would have to book days in advance when they would want to use the airfield.

But the gliding group says this is not a ‘club model’ and would rely on there being enough members interested in order for it to work.

As it stands, the club will cease to operate from the site on July 1 and residents have taken to Facebook saying it would be sad to see it go.

Samantha Vaughan said on the Bicester Community Facebook page: “The gliding club has been there ever since I can remember. It is part of Bicester. It’s been there longer than Bicester Heritage. They cannot push it out.”

Jimmy James said:“RAF Bicester’s a site of genuine historical significance and would really benefit from sympathetic preservation.”

Willowette Snow commented: “The gliders are one of the few things left from my childhood and I would be sad not to see them anymore.”

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Bicester Motion wants to become an ‘automotive resort’ and has submitted a planning application to Cherwell District Council to commence its next stage of development.

It plans to build a 344-room hotel, spa and conference space with a proposed further 770,000 ft of business and leisure space.

Although some residents want the two groups to come to a mutual agreement, others believe Bicester Motion’s masterplan would be more beneficial for the town and that the club has reached the end of its time.

Mike Plowman said: “They are already going to build a hotel on the site which will also bring more jobs. Yes, it’s sad for the gliding club to lose exclusive use of the field if that’s what happens, but times move on.”

John Barker said: “Gliding club used by very few [people] versus industrial units and events benefitting the whole area? It’s a no brainer really.”

Peter Allinson said: “I can’t wait for this project to open. What a thing to have on our doorstep.”

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Gavin Staker said: “Sounds perfect to me - more jobs, more money for the area, and best of all classic cars. What’s not to like.”

Bicester Gliding Club says the proposed development would have a limited impact on current flying operations, but it objects to the application.

Its chairman, Peter Harvey, hopes to come up with a better solution to the terms of the new lease before its current one ends on June 30.

Bicester Motion - then called Bicester Heritage - acquired the site in 2013 and it says it is committed to maintaining flying at the site.

Michael Watson said on Facebook: “If [Bicester] Heritage hadn’t taken over, the buildings would now be pretty much derelict. They created amazing events, infrastructure, jobs, continuing investment.

"The gliding club would never have done this."