'WILD GUESSES', 'myths' and scaremongering about the community stadium are stirring residents' fears, a leading councillor says.

But Deputy Leader Cllr Tony Green's comments about the future of Wycombe Air Park and Booker Gliding Club have provoked a backlash from campaigners – who say it is the council which is 'spreading rumours'.

Cllr Green, Conservative, insisted this week the air park in Booker, Great Marlow, can co-exist alongside a new ground and sports village.

He sparked amazement among members of Booker Gliding Club by saying only 'scraremongers' have said it would not be kicked off the site.

Yet, Wycombe District Council's own website states: “Gliders are not compatible with fixed directional runways...so gliding would have to be relocated.”

Cllr Green was answering questions at Tuesday night's Cabinet meeting – when the 'call-in' review process was ended.

Cllr Steve Guy, Liberal Democrat, asked about compensation for clubs which would be unable to stay at the air park.

Cllr Green said there would be no need, because: “This is one of the myths of the whole project that the air park will cease to exist, that we don't want them.

“What we hope to achieve is not only a stadium/sports village but a fully functioning air park.

“There would be people in the district who would be happy to see the air park goes because of the noise it causes to them.

“That isn't the idea of this project. The idea is to use spare capacity, that we also keep the air park.

“We are proud of the air park.”

He said the council wants to expand and help businesses there.

“Our belief is that gliding can coexist – that's the plan we are working on.

"People are making wild guesses as to what could happen,” he said.

“They are making rash assumptions that we don't believe are true.

"It's the scaremongers that are saying the gliding will go.”

Cllr Wendy Mallin, Conservative, questioned whether 'blight' caused by fears surrounding the development would drive businesses away and leave the air park empty.

Cllr Green urged fellow councillors “not to go around spreading ill founded rumours – that's what causes the most blight and problems.”

He told them: “Stick to the facts, try to explain what's happening. We do want to allay their fears, we don't believe there's anything to worry about.”

Cllr Roger Colomb, Conservative, said initial beliefs about the plans, such as gliding being infeasible at the site, may have altered.

“As this project moves along, so it gets refined,” he said.

There were cries of 'disgrace' and 'shame' from the public gallery as residents left the meeting.

Afterwards, long-time gliding club member Martin Breen, in his 60s, from High Wycombe, said: “I was insulted. It was the biggest disgrace I have ever witnessed.”

Gary Nuttall, Chairman of anti-stadium action group GASP said of Cllr Green's comments about rumour spreading: “The irony of his statement was clearly lost on the Cabinet who were reviewing IRC’s call-in proposal.

“The call-in was based on the clear absence of facts to prove that the ‘very special circumstances’ test would be met when considering the proposal’s attempt to go against National Green Belt Policy. “If the council’s own scrutiny group is unable to ascertain basic facts how does Cllr Green expect the Public to obtain facts upon which to form opinions?”

“Cllr Green’s retort about rumour mongering, particularly about issues such as the future of gliding, was clearly aimed at the Public and yet it is the Council and Officers who have spread rumours.”

An officer had told him at a consultation meeting that gliding would cease because this had been deemed incompatible by the consultants tasked with doing the airfield technical assessment, he said.

Mr Nuttall added: “Cllr Green commented that the whole plan is evolving and changing, so perhaps he would now be willing to stop rumours such as this and state on record that gliding will definitely remain at Wycombe Air Park?”

WDC will meet groups concerned about the plans, starting next week.