• CIVIC chiefs in Winchester have given the green light to a planning application from dog breeders in Wickham.

Kay Smith asked permission to continued using land to the south of a house on Fontley Road.

Officers recommended that Ms Kay be able to consider her operation there, which includes 20 bitches.

  • THE Ordnance Survey Flying Unit is the subject of a talk for aviation enthusiasts in Bishop’s Waltham.

Paul Marshall will be giving a presentation on the subject at an upcoming meeting of the Bishop’s Waltham Aviation Group on February 17, at the Stables Parish Centre, Bishop’s Waltham, starting at 8pm.

Mr Marshall will outline the work of the flying unit, the aircraft and equipment and talk of the main challenges, such as weather and Civil Aviation Authority restrictions, and technology.

Entrance costs £2.50. For more information, call 01962 881874.

  • SWANMORE College has appealed to residents to support them in respect of a new housing development.

Winchester City Council is to consider an application for 70 properties by Linden Homes.

A deal between Hampshire County Council and the developers would involve a land-swap, with the college giving up some of its green space.

But the college says more land would be gained than would be lost, and that under the deal, work on the homes could not begin until the replacement pitches were in place.

They also said the deal would result allow the college to “significantly upgrade our sports facilities for the benefit of the college and community”.

On the college’s website, residents are encouraged to register their support with the city council as part of the public consultation process, which finishes on January 28.

  • WEST Meon plans to mark the centenary of the First World War have been gathering pace.

The village lost 30 men during the Great War and the parish council is determined their sacrifice is never forgotten.

Parishioners have come up with a series of activities that will honour those who fell and a meeting toward the end of last year yielded some interesting ideas, such as a “heritage soldiers’ trail” that would mark houses of the men who died. Villagers are also looking into writing brief biographies of them men.

A village picnic is planned for July at the recreation ground, including Edwardian food, an exhibition, beer tent and Punch and Judy show.