The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the world’s largest military airshow held annually at RAF Fairford, faces significant opposition from local residents following a recent planning application submission for an additional campsite.
This year’s RIAT event, scheduled for July 17-19, has introduced an official campsite with tickets priced at £50 for two nights and £65 for three nights. While this official site has already sold out, organisers have applied to Wiltshire Council to transform an adjacent agricultural field into a temporary campsite, allowing up to 60 caravans for seven days annually, coinciding with the airshow.
Residents of Marston Meysey, a small village of just over 200 people located on the Wiltshire-Gloucestershire border, have strongly opposed the proposal. They describe the application as “wholly unsuitable,” citing concerns over security, fire risk, noise, and loss of privacy. The field in question sits directly behind several homes, which intensifies the villagers’ worries about disruption and environmental impact.
READ MORE: Tom Kerridge Embraces ADHD Diagnosis After Overcoming Alcohol Addiction
READ MORE: Another British Tourist Dies After Gastric Illness During Cape Verde Holiday
The planning statement submitted in February 2025 details the intent to convert agricultural land into a temporary festival campsite comprising caravan pitches measuring 10m by 10m, complete with electrical hookups. The application clarifies that there will be no permanent structures built and that the site forms part of a larger camping area, some of which operates under permitted development rights.
Despite assurances regarding campsite management, public amenities, traffic arrangements, and biodiversity considerations, local residents remain unconvinced. More than 25 formal objections have been lodged, with many residents expressing their disappointment over what they see as a lack of engagement and disregard for community impact.
One objection highlights the potential damage to the organic farmland and disruption to local wildlife, emphasizing that the soil could take years to recover from the effects of camping activities. Another points to the negative consequences for the neighbours, including noise, loss of privacy, and safety concerns, calling the application “poorly thought through” and urging the council to refuse or delay any decision until proper consultation occurs.
The consultation period has now closed, with the council expected to announce its decision by April 8. Meanwhile, the debate continues over balancing the global appeal of RIAT with the rights and wellbeing of its local host community.