Plan for Hangar Homes at Daedalus is grounded by the council

An artist's impression of what the Hangar Homes would have looked like

Developer Peter Day had created plans for five Hangar Homes to be built in Daedalus Airfield, mixing business with leisure and aviation.

Plans also included the creation of a heritage centre, which he says could provide a home for the closing Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre.

But Fareham Borough Council – which owns the land – rejected the plans, insisting that the land is not currently for sale.

Now, following discussions with council leader Cllr Sean Woodward, Mr Day says he will be taking his scheme elsewhere.

However, he still has not given up entirely on his Daedalus dream, saying that he will go through the Local Government Ombudsman to get approval for the plans.

He said: ‘I have asked for a formal response from the council about what’s happened because I really don’t think there’s any valid reason for not going ahead with this – aside from Sean Woodward having his own personal plans for the airfield.

‘Fareham Borough Council has been very cynical about the whole scheme.

‘They have this vision for a commercial airport that will be funded by the taxpayer, whereas I wanted to create something that would not only generate money for the economy, but also build a heritage centre that could protect the future of groups such as Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre.

‘I wanted Daedalus to be the home for this innovative scheme, but now I have no choice but to take it elsewhere.’

But Cllr Woodward says that the land has never been for sale – and that Mr Day has known this from the outset.

He said: ‘We have been very clear about this long before a planning application was even submitted – the land at Daedalus is not for sale.

‘He (Mr Day) has applied for planning permission on someone else’s land and I can’t understand why he’s now angry it’s being rejected.

‘On the heritage centre, we have our own plans and have just finished the visiting area for that – so we’re making progress there already.

‘The council has its own plans for Daedalus, such as scheduled flights to the Channel Islands in due course, so the fact that he thinks we would sell the land is beyond me.

‘At one point he even asked the council if he could have the land for free.’

Mr Day is now hopeful that the Ombudsman will give him access to the land

He said: ‘I am confident that the Ombudsman will see that there is no reason why my project shouldn’t go ahead.

‘I believe there is nothing wrong with the scheme and that it would be good to sustain the future of the airfield.’

But Cllr Woodward is doubtful that Mr Day will make any progress.

He said: ‘I’m really not concerned about it and I think Mr Day is wasting his time.

‘I just find it bizarre that someone would go to all this trouble when they know that the land is not for sale.’