13 June 2024
Cornwall Council is on the verge of signing a partnership deal to develop the 650 acre Cornwall Airport Newquay site – formerly RAF St Mawgan until 2008.
However, ‘Red Lines’ are in place with “top and number one” being the continuing operation of the airport, said Cllr Louis Gardner who presented an interim report to Cornwall Council yesterday, 12 June.
“I know from talking to the business community in Cornwall that the airport is regarded as a vital link, not only to London but to the rest of the UK and Europe,” said Cllr Gardner.
“The numbers set out in the report highlight this with passenger numbers up to 440,000 last year. That represents a recovery to almost pre-pandemic levels.
A recording of the Cornwall Council meeting is available. This is Cllr Louis Gardner introducing the airport report
“The economic impact of the airport is £72m a year – that’s a huge contribution to both the economy of Cornwall and the success of the aerospace sector, which pays higher wages than both the Cornish average and wages in that local vicinity.
“But the airport could be doing even more for the economy and this is what this is about. It is not – and I will be clear – it is not about closing the airport as some have suggested, and it is not about Cornwall Council somehow washing its hands of the airport – nothing could be further from the truth.”
Referring to the £4m subsidy paid by Cornwall Council every year, Cllr Gardner said, “While this is a good investment in terms of the £72m [economic impact], this is money the Council could invest in other statutory priorities if we can be innovative and find a new operating model.
“To start that process, the Cornwall Airport and the Council commissioned property experts CBRE back in 2022 to review our approach to managing the airport.
“I want to be totally clear on the red lines [referring to the partnership deal]. They are:
The name of the ‘preferred partner’ the council is planning to work with has not been released. However, according to the Falmouth Packet news website, it is Westcore Europe, known already in General Aviation as the asset manager of Fairoaks Airfield.
A recorded webcast of the 12 June 2024 Cornwall Council meeting is available here. The portion discussing Newquay Airport starts at 41:30.
A final report about all aspects of the deal will be presented to the Council Cabinet in the autumn. It’s not clear whether that report will be made public.
