LASHAM Gliding Society has bitten the bullet and mounted a legal challenge against the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) decision to grant a large area of new controlled airspace around TAG Farnborough Airport.

Describing its own decision to go down the legal route, the gliding society has confirmed that, as “a last resort”, it is currently seeking a judicial review.

Having submitted its official response to the CAA on July 10 expressing “strong opposition” to its decision to approve controlled airspace for the benefit of TAG Farnborough Airport, which it does not believe has been justified by the CAA, Lasham Gliding Society filed its application with the court on October 16, having completed a “herculean task” in compliling 183 pages of statements, plus supporting documentation.

The CAA now has 21 days to respond.

In explaining its stance, a gliding society spokesman said the introduction of the approved airspace will be “like building a brick wall 75 seconds flying time from Lasham Airfield”.

He said: “Lasham tried to negotiate a more equitable solution over a protracted period but was unable to do so.

“In the original proposal, TAG wanted procedures which create ‘roads in the sky’.

“These procedures are only mandated by EU regulation at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester, and not at Farnborough. The airspace was intended to contain these roads.

“Peculiarly TAG, in their own consultation documents, stated that ‘more often than not’ they will not be used, so why ‘fence off’ enormous volumes of airspace? The volume of airspace approved is 2,000 times larger per passenger than is allocated for Gatwick.”

And he added: “Gliding has taken place at Lasham since 1951 while TAG only took over Farnborough from the MoD in 2003. TAG should not displace an established local and national resource to further their own commercial ambitions.”

The society is fundraising to support the £100,000 cost of the review. To donate, visit lashamgliding.com/pages/airspace-campaign.