Residents of a picturesque Cheshire village have slammed a multi-millionaire heir for making their lives "a living hell" thanks to the number of helicopter flights he runs in and out of the area.
William Stobart, the son of lorry magnate Eddie Stobart and founder of his own logistics firm WS Transportation, rents a helipad in Over Peover to luxury clients and TV productions - but has been blasted for both the noise of the choppers and an ongoing planning row with the local council.
The pad has been used by Premier League footballers, some residents claimed, while one alleged that a neighbour's daughter had seen former England captain Wayne Rooney driving into the place.
While it has also been let out to helicopter charter firm GB Helicopters, which has used the area for its operations - including providing aerial camerawork for I'm a Celebrity. GB Helicopters told GB News that any claims that footballers used the firm were "categorically false".
The helicopters operating from William Stobart's land have attracted significant concern from locals in Over Peover
PA/Getty/Google
One resident, Alex Oakshott, a gardener, told the Daily Mail that the helicopters could be heard approaching from miles away, and were very loud while coming into land.
He said the aircraft had "made [his] life a misery", and expressed his anger that Stobart had been "allowed to get away with this".
His mother Alison Gardner echoed his concerns about the noise, which she said had made their lives "a living hell" - and accused Stobart of not having the requisite council permissions to use the land for commercial purposes.
Another resident, 86-year-old retiree Glynn Stockdale, said he had moved into Over Peover for its quietness - but said the helicopters had "shattered" that.
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The land, owned by Eddie Stobart's son, has been leased out to charter firm GB Helicopters
PA/GB Helicopters
He agreed with other allegations from locals that footballers had been using the craft, and complained of the privacy risks of the helicopters flying overhead.
Stockdale recounted one incident in which a helicopter laden with passengers flew over him while he was in his swimming pool - and he saw several of those on board peering down, prompting him to approach Stobart's wife to complain.
Councillor Anthony Harrison, the ward councillor for Chelford on Cheshire East Council, told the Mail the council was locked in a "stalemate" over the issue; the helicopter operators had exceeded their limit of 28 trips in 12 months, according to Harrison.
He said there had been "a few issues" with Stobart, the landowner, and that he had spoken with the heir about the disruption - who told him he had hired a 'planning advisor' and was weighing up breaking off the business partnership with GB Helicopters.
While Cllr Harrison insisted local authorities had the power to enforce planning restrictions, he said a lack of resources, funds and officers had curtailed progress on reaching a solution.
GB Helicopters told GB News that comments from locals about the helicopters flying "three times a day" was only been true for its "busiest times of year", while "the reality is about six to seven movements a week".
When the flights left or arrived, the charter firm added, the noise only lasted approximately 30 seconds - prompting a company spokesperson to ask: "Therefore, how can that be a living hell?".
A Cheshire East Council spokesperson told GB News: "Like many councils, we do face resource challenges across the planning service, but we prioritise complaints in accordance with our adopted enforcement policy.
"In this case, an enforcement investigation had to be suspended pending a lawful development application by the owner. That resumed after he had withdrawn his application."
GB News has approached WS Transportation for comment.
