PLANS to transform a former Ministry of Defence site at Defford near Pershore into a police training facility are one step closer to reality.

The former air base was leased by QinetiQ, a global defence, technology and security company, until it moved the majority of business to its Malvern base after losing an MoD contract in 2004.

QinetiQ has since transferred the lease to West Mercia Constabulary, which has expressed an interest in using the site for training.

At the Wychavon District Council planning meeting, QinetiQ was granted a certificate of lawful use, a formal document stating what the land has been used for in its occupation of the site. It needed this document so there is a precedent for future planning applications.

When QinetiQ, which was privatised earlier this month, was part of the MoD, it was exempt from planning permission.

Since its change in status it has been required to follow planning regulations.

The eastern runway on the site, in Croome Road was excluded from the document, because Wychavon's development control committee was not convinced that it had been sufficiently used since 2001, when it became part privatised.

Councillor Peter Wright said that there were concerns among residents about the nature of future activities that could take place on the site, especially with the topical discussions about force mergers.

"We don't know what sized force could be located there, it could be an extremely large one," he said.

Clerk for Defford and Besford Parish Council, Graham Evans said that the council welcomed the police presence at the site, but opposed the introduction of a skid-pan, used for driver training.

"That would generate a lot of noise and it is felt that the residents of Defford would have their peace and tranquillity disturbed," he said.

A West Mercia spokesman said the site would be used for general policing purposes, with an unspecified number of staff.

"West Mercia Constabu-lary will ultimately make planning applications relating to its intended uses of the Defford site, but not immediately.

"We have always been totally open about our general proposals for the site and have never hidden the fact that we intend to use part of it for a skid-pan as an integral element of our on-going advanced driver training."