A PLANNING application for a private airstrip in Abergavenny was deferred yesterday after councillors decided they wanted to see the site.

The planning committee at Monmouthshire County Council did not make a final decision on the airstrip and an aircraft hangar because they wanted to first see the proposed site for themselves.

The owners of the site say they remain confident permission will be given. The applicants are Keren Watkins and her father Frank Cavaciuti, who own a kit-plane firm called Pioneer Aviation.

The company occupy an airstrip and hangar at Hardwick, near Abergavenny, for which the previous owner had not got planning permission. They have since applied for retrospective permission. Some residents have objected but Mr Cavaciuti insisted yesterday councillors would find little to worry about.

One of the objectors, Gerry Tuffs, runs a chicken farm. He said birds kept close to the airfield were stressed and panicked by the planes overhead. But Mr Cavaciuti insisted: "The noise doesn't stress animals out.

"There is some local feeling but the statutory bodies and safety people are all on side. We don't have any obstacles other than a few local people. "You can't win everybody over but we remain positive and are not worried." He added anyone with problems about the plans had been asked to go to see the airfield for themselves during a consultation period. He said: "Everyone who came walked away happy."

Councillors decided to see for themselves this Friday, with a demonstration flight also planned for the visit.

Mr Cavaciuti said: "We are not going to back off and go away. We've been whiter than white in dealing with this straight from day one and gone along with the whole process.