Lack of confidence airport sale will go through

1 hour ago

Carmelo GarciaLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — Deadlines have been missed for the sale of Gloucestershire Airport, formerly known as Staverton Airport

Gloucestershire Airport Ltd Runways intersect each other on a green airfield in the Gloucestershire countryside. It is a sunny day - perhaps a summer's evening - with haze in the sky looking towards hills and fields in the background. — Deadlines have been missed for the sale of Gloucestershire Airport, formerly known as Staverton Airport

It is "very difficult" to say whether the sale of an airport will actually go through after months of negotiations, a council figure says.

Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) and Gloucester City Council (GCC) chiefs have been in negotiations with Horizon Group, the preferred buyer of Gloucestershire Airport, for more than eight months.

The completion of the sale of the 375-acre site has faced delays and Andy Hearne, GCC's head of place, said the council is "feeling pretty let down".

Jeremy Hilton, leader of GCC, said options for a plan B are available but "nothing has been worked out" as focus is on concluding the sale.

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The site of the airport at Staverton includes two thriving business parks and planning consent for an additional 30,000 square metres of business space, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

Hearne told GCC councillors at the overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Monday night officers had been trying to conclude the sale but they can only do so much.

"Any sale process has got its risks," Hearne said.

"If you ask me if I'm confident, again it is very difficult for me to say. The time lag, the extensions, etc.

"Obviously, we are all feeling pretty let down by the extensions that have taken place so I can't sit here and tell you one way or the other."

Frustration

Anne Radley, Liberal Democrat councillor for Elmbridge, asked if there was a plan B, in case the sale did not go through.

In response, Hilton said while he did not know what the alternative might be, there was "a lot of speculation in the press" which was "not at all accurate", although he did not specify what was incorrect.

Hearne said he recognised the frustration in the room and said any sale was "very difficult".

"The team we are working with are consistently devoted to making sure that all decisions are completely scrutinised to make sure the decisions made are right for the area, the public," he added.

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