LOCALS are gearing up for a fight when a Gwent landowner brings controversial plans to retain a concrete airstrip before planners for the second time.

Residents in Whitson, near Newport, are opposing Kenneth Bowen's bid to keep the concrete landing strip at Upton Farm, saying the excessive flights taking off and landing shatter the peace of their small community.

They are equally furious it has taken Newport council so long to deal with the problem.

Mr Bowen, who has had permission for a grass landing strip for the last six years, built the £100,000 concrete runway without planning permission in 2006.

He applied for retrospective permission in 2007, but this was recommended for refusal, so he withdrew the application and lodged a new one last May.

The application is due to be heard by city planners in October Ð more than 16 months since it was submitted and more than two years since the concrete strip was built.

Newport council explained the long delay was due to the complex application.

They have also hired an aviation expert to advise them, work which was put out to tender, adding to delays.

But for local residents this is not good enough.

Barbara-Ann Vincent, who lives near the airstrip said: "It has gone on much too long and the council has not explained what is happening."

In the new application Mr Bowen is asking for permission to keep the hangar buildings and the concrete runway, which will be used only by friends and family, not as a commercial airfield.

But locals say the concrete strip means planes can land and take off in all weather, so is used much more regularly than the former grass strip.

"It used to be tolerable," said Mrs Vincent. "But now you can't shut it out."

A recent crash just metres from local residents' homes has also raised fresh fears about the safety of the airstrip.

Community councillor John Small said: "We will continue to oppose this because we want the concrete runway taken down.

"People are very angry with the council because of the delays."