PLANS for a North-East helicopter centre, comprising a museum and ground-breaking venture in the rehabilitation of disabled former Armed Forces personnel, are likely to approved.

Planning officers have recommended Durham county councillors endorse the new facility at Shotton Airfield, next to the Peterlee Parachute Centre, when the planning committee meets on Tuesday (December 9).

The museum has already acquired several helicopters, including the actual Bell 47 Westland Sioux featured in the MASH TV series.

Durham Helicopter Centre plans to provide employment opportunities and back-to-work skills training for disabled ex-service men and women.

There will also be opportunities for learning for schools, young people and community groups in the field of aviation history, engineering and technology.

The maintenance workshop will be used to carry out servicing of helicopters in use and dismantling obsolete machines.

The work will be carried out by aviation engineering students under the supervision of qualified engineers.

The facility is the brainchild of retired Army Air Corps engineer Duncan Moyse.

Letters of support were submitted by Ford Aerospace, the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Ross Aviation Ltd.

Durham Helicopter Centre director Madeleine Ashdown said: “I am pleased the plans have been recommended for approval.

“It has taken us two years to take it this far. There have been no objections from statutory bodies or from members of the public.

“If it gets permission we will be launching a major fundraising campaign in the new year to raise the £2m needed for the building of the centre.”

She added: “Bespoke aircraft engineering courses are being developed with the help of Hartlepool Aviation Academy, and students will work in the state-of-the-art maintenance workshop.”

A planning officer's report to the committee meeting says: “The proposals would seek to address the disadvantage faced by disabled veterans in the current job market and would create a valuable learning resource for school and community groups.

“The proposals would also contribute toward tourism facilities in the area and would bring about regeneration benefits and on this basis the application is recommended for approval.”

The project’s former development manager, James Hargrave, was instrumental in helping secure £5,000 from the East Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP) and £3,500 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to fund the application.