38,000 signatures, 285 letters, 112 emails and a single message: Save Plymouth City Airport

A CAMPAIGN to save Plymouth City Airport has been taken to the heart of Government.

Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, has taken a petition signed by almost 38,000 to Downing Street.

The bundle also contained nearly 400 letters and emails, all calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene and help the now-closed facility.

The air link is seen as vital to the city's future economic fortunes.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Speaking after presenting the petition and letters, Ms Seabeck told The Herald: "I would hope the Prime Minister would now look at this and the potential for Plymouth and the South West to contribute to the UK growth agenda, and come to the conclusion if he's going to expand airport capacity in London then he has to support regional links to those airports, which is affordable and maximises the potential of the South West."

After the council and The Herald joined forces to launch a letter-writing campaign last month, 285 people put pen to paper, and another 112 sent emails.

It was triggered by a save-the-airport petition, organised by campaigners from the group Viable.

One of the biggest in Plymouth's history, it called for Government intervention to save the airport, which was closed last December by its operators Sutton Harbour Holdings.

Ms Seabeck said of the public reaction: "It was actually a much bigger response than I was expecting.

"An awful lot of interest has been generated."

But she added: "If it's possible for the private sector to run this airport then we, the people of Plymouth, are going to have to try and use it."

This summer Sutton Harbour published a masterplan to redevelop the site into a large community, with houses, shops and offices.

Meanwhile, Viable has set up a company to take over and run the airport, claiming that its business plan could make a success of the operation.

The council has made it clear that the council will not step in to rescue the airport, but has said the land in Roborough would remain protected at least until 2021 under the city's development framework.

If Plymouth people make it clear they want to keep open the option of having an airport, the protection could be extended to 2031 under the emerging Plymouth Plan.