A positive future for Gloucestershire Airport

A number of recommendations were agreed earlier this month at full council meetings at both Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Councils.  The councils are joint shareholders of the airport.

It has been recognised for some time that substantial runway improvement works would be needed to deal with the deteriorating condition of the runway; improve drainage; installation of new energy efficient LED lighting and to make sure the runway continues to meet Civil Aviation Authority guidelines. The surface of the main runway is beyond its design life – thought to be 25 years and the need for the re-surfacing has long featured in the company’s capital plans and has been highlighted in various commissioned specialist reports.

It was agreed that the councils will provide the airport with funds so that work on two runways can be carried out. Once the work is complete, the airport will transfer an asset – the Meteor business park – to the councils. This will secure annual rental income of £650k to be shared equally between the councils.  

Cllr Steve Jordan, Cheltenham Borough Council and Cllr Richard Cook, Gloucester City Council said in a joint statement:  ‘’The airport currently contributes around £52m annually to the local economy and plays a key role in supporting the county’s development ambitions including the cyber development at Golden Valley and Gloucester’s digital campus, The Forum, as well as recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.’’

Karen Taylor, interim managing director of Gloucestershire Airport commented: “The significance of this funding for Gloucestershire Airport is three-fold. First and foremost it gives us the go-ahead to deliver runway and other critical capital improvements that will boost our status as a ‘gateway for growth’  for the many significant developments being brought forward across the region.

“It will also play a vital role in realising our ambition to identify and deliver projects embracing alternative clean energy supplies and green technologies that will help reduce our carbon footprint, while also underpinning our long-term commitment to attract and promote associated aviation related environmental research and development that’s so critical to the future of the aviation and creates opportunity for everyone operating from the airfield.”

For media enquiries, contact: communications, telephone 01242 264154, email [email protected]

Notes to editor:
By tendering now, the airport may benefit from the opportunity created by seeking major construction work in a post-Covid climate. While the airport’s tender process would look to secure construction and project management it would also make clear that it would welcome ideas on cost saving variations from the proposed specification.