The local racecourse here in Warwick has been used for model flying since the 1930's,over the past few years a mown strip has been maintained by the local council,the strip is some walk away from the former car park due to the fact that the area itself is on the other side of the common.
A few years ago complaints about noise led to a review of the flying facilities offered,after much debate the flying times were cut dramatically loosing two days out of the week,and further restrictions on the times of flying,one of the days was a Sunday when for a lot of people was the only day that they could devote to flying their models,coupled with the obvious un-predictable weather this added a further serious restriction,if that was not enough a new housing development came along right on the outskirts of the racecourse and backing onto the former car parking area,in the councils wisdom they built another much larger car park further down the road,some considerable distance and with a pay and display function,this area is even further from the model strip,and requires quite an hike with model and heavy equipment to get there,the car park has been a disaster being too far from the town centre and nobody uses it during the week even.
It just seems that one obstacle after another has been put in the way of the modeller wishing to fly,first the restrictions on time and days,then the parking problem.
I wonder how many more areas of the country have been affected in this way through ignorance from those not interested in modelling ? and how many more potential flying areas have been lost due to similar circumstances,recreational areas are not to be taken lightly and our valued flying sites are constantly under threat.
One aspect of the above that did not go down well, was the councils lack of consideration that was given to gliders and electric flight models,they refused to make any concessions for these types of models which make no noise.
So effectively they have killed the use of the common land for model flying and placed car parking in areas of no use to anyone.
A great pity that such a great hobby is restricted and flustrated by such measures which are so unnecessary,the council have taken such a negative view.