WHEN I was chairman of Newquay Airport Joint Committee I set a simple objective of starting low cost flights from Newquay. I flew on the first Ryanair flight to Stansted which was full and concluded that low cost air travel from Cornwall was unstoppable.

This conclusion has been confirmed by the success of both Ryanair and Air South West. There is a huge unfulfilled demand for more flights from Newquay evidenced by full aircraft and recent studies. Plans exist for a large increase in facilities.

So why am I constantly meeting people who say that the MoD is pulling out of Newquay (RAF St Mawgan) and the Airport is finished?

Two statements have been made recently as a result of the recent Defence Review. Firstly it has been claimed that "RAF St Mawgan may be mothballed." No such plan exists. Secondly it has been claimed that "operational flying will cease at RAF St Mawgan in 2006." This is simply untrue.

RAF St Mawgan provides the airfield facilities for Newquay Airport and it is planned to lose three training helicopters in 2006. These aircraft have no need of a facility such as St Mawgan. The airfield is there to provide strategic and training facilities for fixed wing military aircraft, hence the synergy between the civilian airport and the military facilities. Cornwall needs to make a commitment to the airfield as the MoD will make to Cornwall with the 1,720 surviving jobs after the helicopters leave. Cornwall needs a substantial regional airport and there is just time to attract Objective One money to help finance it. Without a substantial airport, Objective One will have been largely in vain.

The only benefit that has come from this rumour-mongering is the exposure of the political, regional and commercial interests that want to see Newquay Airport fail.

Newquay Airport needs all the support it can get. It is about time that our MPs started backing and stopped back-biting.

James Currie, county councillor, Feock and Kea