Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport

THOUSANDS of visitors are being turned away each year and much-needed business lost because of a long-standing, bitter dispute over a small "symbolic protest fence" at a Highland airport, it has been claimed.

• The fence at Oban airport, erected by the local flying club as a protest against a 'land-grab' by the owners, Argyll and Bute Council Picture: Moira Kerr

Oban airport has turned away 400 large planes since the fence was built in June 2009, it emerged yesterday.

Argyll Aero Club built the fence, 1.5 metres high, which forms a semi-circle beside part of the main runway, after an alleged "land grab" of an area leased to it in 1995 by Argyll and Bute Council, which owns the airport.

Last night Jim Mather, MSP for Argyll and Bute, offered to broker "peace talks" between the warring sides in the town known as the "Gateway to the Highlands."

The move was backed by Alasdair Allan, SNP MSP for the Western Isles, who said the wrangle was damaging Scotland's tourist economy and could impact on tourism in the islands.

The fence, which was erected legally, restricts the safe runway length by a third meaning that planes over 12 metres long - with capacity for more than 18 passengers - cannot land because of safety concerns.

Local councillors and businesses fear that the area's economy is being damaged.

Councillor Roddy McCuish, SNP, said: "I find it absolutely scandalous that people are coming to this area and can't land at the airport.

"Around 400 inquiries have been made to land at Oban airport but were turned away because of a lack of runway landing. These are the ones we know about, what about the ones we don't know about? Not only are we losing financially, our reputation is going downhill as well."

He went on: "I understand that this fence was put up as a historical protest at the way the airport was run by the council, and the way the future was mapped out.

"I know the council are working hard to rectify this problem but they need to double their efforts."

Beppo Buchanan-Smith, who runs the five-star Isle of Eriska Hotel, near Oban, said lucrative business customers had cancelled because they could not fly staff in to Oban and added: "We are losing tens of thousands of pounds of business because of this, they should either close the airport, or sell what they are advertising."

Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms, which has a main base for its fish farms near Oban airport, had planned to hold regular business meetings at Eriska, flying board members in from Norway. A spokesman for Scottish Sea Farms said the meetings were being held in Stirling, as the airport could not cater for the size of plane required.

Paul Keegan, chairman of the flying club, claims the dispute began after the council submitted information to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) saying it owned the land leased to the flying club in order to licence the airfield.

"Our club's official position on this is that the fence is a symbol of the lies and falsehoods of Argyll and Bute Council in order to obtain that licence. The matter went to court and it went in our favour. The council have admitted their officials were in the wrong and are now trying to negotiate with us.

Mr Keegan added: "It is not an easy situation. We have run up 18,000 in legal fees and while the council have indicated they will pay them, they want to impose a gagging clause on us."

A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council said: "The council and the Argyll Aero Club are engaged in constructive dialogue to resolve some outstanding matters, which include the club's perimeter fence."