Plans to replace a gliding club base with two homes were unanimously voted through, despite more than 60 objections.

Dover District Council’s planning committee approved the scheme for a holiday let and estate worker’s dwelling in place of the Channel Gliding Club (CGC) clubhouse in the village of Waldershare, near Dover, at their recent meeting.

A total 65 letters of objection were sent to the council over the proposal, fearing it would mean permanent loss of another gliding ground.

In his objection, Richard Watts wrote: “It’s a real shame to see such a nice gliding club disappear in favour of housing.

“Clubs like this bring the community together.”

Nick Toy said: “There is the loss of the social and sporting facility of the club.

“Too many airfields these days are being taken over for housing, leading to the UK falling behind other countries in the aviation sector.

“Gliding is an environmentally clean form of recreational aviation, with very low emissions, very little noise.

“This facility needs to be preserved for the good of the area.”

Gavin Short said: “This would seem to be a step to reduce tourism and local commerce that glider pilots, their families and visitors bring to the region.”

But councillors passed the application without debate after hearing that CGC had already moved out last year.

The land, on the Waldershare Estate in Sandwich Road, is owned by the Earl and Countess of Guilford.

They want to demolish the clubhouse and replace it with a holiday let and an estate worker’s home.

The airstrip would be re-used as farmland.

"Gliding is an environmentally clean form of recreational aviation, with very low emissions, very little noise..."

The applicants’ agents, Finn’s, of Sandwich, said the development would not harm the countryside and would mean less traffic compared with when the gliding club used it.

They added that the proposal would also improve the range of holiday accommodation available within Dover district.

Council planning officers had also recommended members approve the scheme, saying it was unlikely to have a negative impact on the wider landscape.

Channel Gliding Club had used the land since it got planning permission for the clubhouse in 1986.

It mainly flew members of the public, with families coming from all over Kent and beyond to get a birds-eye view of the countryside, sea and White Cliffs of Dover.

One instructor flew more than 300 people in 15 years.

The group told KentOnline the clubhouse lease was not renewed so it folded and moved out last October.

A club spokesman said: “The majority of members have just given up. It was a horrible thing to happen, very unexpected and cost individuals large sums of money to relocate to another club.”