FEARS are being voiced by neighbouring campsite owners that developments at Llanbedr airfield could lead to them being forced to relinquish parts of their land for runway extensions – putting jobs at risk.

Recently B2Space and Snowdonia Aerospace Centre announced they want to create 93 specialist jobs at Llanbedr airfield by launching microsatellites from the site.

There are also proposals in place to build the UK’s first Spaceport at the site, which would allow for more satellites to be sent to orbit and possibly even passenger spaceflights.

However, owners of local campsites Dyffryn Seaside Estate (DSE) and Shell Island, which are adjacent to the airfield, fear what the proposals would mean for their businesses and the total 100-plus employees.

Concerns have been raised that new plans would require expanding the current boundaries of the airfield, either to incorporate an extended runway or for reasons of safety, thus encompassing land which currently belongs to the campsites, particularly that of DSE.

According to the campsite owners, there have been no formal discussions with them about any proposals to purchase new land.

A spokesperson for DSE said: “[They] have received no formal confirmation from anyone in a position of authority to do so, that land will be required for runway extension if the Spaceport bid is successful.

“However, they hope that Snowdonia Aerospace can confirm that none of their existing or future proposals for the airfield require any additional land or impose any restrictions on any additional land outside the existing perimeter fence of the airfield itself”

In response, the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre said that it is too “premature” to discuss boundaries, but admitted that the runway may need extendng for specific operators.See this week's north editions for the full story, in shops and online now