IT is clear that the Evening Press has experienced the same problems as everyone else in trying to extract from the owners what they want to achieve with the old Elvington airfield ('Up in the air for Elvington', October 9).

Misaun, trading as Elvington Park Ltd., has applied for planning permission to build six hangars "one of which would be 200 metres long". But Chris Hudson, company secretary of Elvington Park Ltd, tells us "we have no master plan set down on paper".

It seems odd that a company which is clearly showing itself to be savvy with money by basing itself in Lichtenstein should be so cavalier with its resources to the point of spending vast sums on building six huge hangars without having any idea of what they may be for.

Many people in York suspect the vagueness the company expresses about its intentions could be a smokescreen.

Although not directly involved with this planning application, I can appreciate the difficulty for councillors and planning officers. They understand that vagueness about intentions can easily be exploited later when approval to build some hangars for possible use by light aircraft can suddenly be represented as tacit approval for an airport.

Until Misaun come forward with their airfield plans I suggest the council is right to proceed cautiously.

Coun Christian Vassie,

Blake Court,

Wheldrake, York.

...I FEEL compelled to respond to Mr Jefferson (Letters, September 24) about his views on the airfield at Elvington.

I live in Dunnington, a village close to Elvington and we already suffer greatly on August Bank Holiday when the air show is held because of the volume of traffic that clogs the A1079 and A166 to Grimston roundabout.

On my wedding day, four years ago, I was nearly late for the ceremony because the wedding cars could not get to Dunnington from Elvington due to traffic.

I appreciate that an airport probably wouldn't generate as much traffic as the air show does on a daily basis, but imagine it to be sufficient to add time on to our journeys.

We would also have to endure the noise pollution an airport would generate.

Mr Jefferson's comment "hundreds of us felt the same about the Rawcliffe Park and Ride, but were over-ruled" regarding not-in-our-backyard tickled me. You can hardly compare a Park and Ride service with an airport!

Charlotte Milburn,

Holly Tree Croft,

Dunnington, York.

Updated: 09:14 Saturday, October 11, 2003