Airport revival plan grounded by council
PLANS for a dramatic rescue for Plymouth City Airport have suffered a major blow.
For the first time the city council has made clear that it will not offer any financial support to save the airport which shut last December.
Sutton Harbour Holdings, the operator, last year exercised an 'Armageddon clause' in its 150-year lease on the land.
The company sold off its airline, Air South West, and then closed the airport, claiming the business was no longer viable.
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Leaders of both main political parties in the city have remained diplomatic until now, giving cautious backing to the group Viable, which has drawn up a business case to run the airport.
But now the local authority leadership appeared to pull the plug on any support for Viable coming from the council, saying it could not pump money into any rescue plan.
Asked about the future of the airport by Cllr Ian Bowyer, the former Conservative Cabinet member for finance, Council Leader Tudor Evans said people had voted with their feet by not using it.
"If it had been popular I would have thought there would still be an airport there today.
"More people signed the petition to save the airport than used the airport."
He said the council was not prepared to pump money into it.
Addressing himself to Conservative members of the council's overview and scrutiny management board, Cllr Evans said: "We are singing from the same page.
"The issue for us is that we don't own the lease. It belongs to Sutton Harbour Holdings.
"I agree with Vivien Pengelly [his predecessor as council leader] that it has to be a private sector solution.
"Viable is a group of people that believe they can run the airport.
"They don't have an airline and they don't own the airport.
"Clearly the council is not wedded to Viable. I am not in a position to do financial due diligence on Viable because that's not my job."
Cllr Evans said he had been invited to a presentation by Viable which just showed "pictures of happy passengers" on aircraft.
He said Cornwall Council was pumping money into Newquay Airport, but Plymouth City Council could not afford to do the same.
In its business plan Viable has said it would need the airport to be reopened with key tenants.
"They are talking about running a helicopter service and getting Flag Officer Sea Training back," Cllr Evans said last night.
"Good luck to them.
"They are talking about getting Plymouth Flying School back.
"Good luck to them."
Viable chairman Raoul Witherall said later that he did not want to comment on a meeting he did not attend.
But he said: "We are looking forward to sitting down with the new administration and discussing our proposals, which would allow the council to redeem the lease without having to divert funds from other projects."
Cllr Evans defended his decision to give Sutton Harbour Holdings the 150-year lease when he was council leader in 2000.
He said the private sector had failed to deliver a solution at the time.
"I as leader then had about 24 hours to secure a long-term future for the airport.
"At the time we secured not only an airport operator but an airline."
Mr Bowyer said later that Mr Evans's remarks appeared to close the door on the airport.
But he added: "I think there are other ways the council can and should be as helpful as possible. The last council and this council have underlined that economic growth is the number one priority, and an operating airport would be a significant part of that."
Sutton Harbour Holdings has valued the airport land at about £4.5million, a figure that is likely to multiply if it can get permission for housing development.
Two reports from consultants, commissioned by the previous Conservative administration, said there was no operator or airline willing to run the airport or flights.
Council boss demands answers on claims of mistreatment of Jubilee workers – Page 7
Comments
by davyth1
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 11:57AM
“Aspex Software - Even if Plymouth Airport were to reopen there is no way London Airways (why they call themselves British Airways I have no idea) would commence a service from Plymouth to Heathrow. The best option for your Japanese businessmen is to fly with KLM to Bristol or buy an Etihad Airways ticket to Exeter. Flybe now codeshares with Etihad which means you can buy a single ticket and fly to places like Sydney, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi and Bangkok from Exeter (via a short hop to Manchester). Much better than flying from crowded Heathrow or any other London Airport for that matter! When I flew to Japan it took me an hour to get from the airport into where I was going in Tokyo - an hour in a taxi from Exeter Airport to Plymouth although not ideal is certainly better than traipsing up to London”
by Bob_Wickerman
Friday, June 15 2012, 4:21AM
“Labour may be bad enough but let's not forget the airport closed on the Tory councils watch and they never lifted a finger to stop it”
by mrbenn47
Thursday, June 14 2012, 8:03PM
“You would of thought that Tudor would of learnt from the debacle that was PAFC when he allowed that to be sold for half of the value at that time, but i assume that good ol Tudor is doing handsomely from it again”
by Rocky23
Thursday, June 14 2012, 7:47PM
“Where's all the socialists, of course sitting on their rears doing absolute nothing.
On an earlier thread when Tudor promised to help out the airport I replied all talk just to acquire the necessary votes from the gullible voter's of Plymouth and that's just exactly what has happened.
I just hope we can get through the next two years before Tudor and his rabble destroys our great city.”
by nick475
Thursday, June 14 2012, 7:30PM
“The Labour council got us into this mess in 2000 by allowing an Armageddon Clause. They should get us out of it.
4.5 Million is a cheap fix for all important links. What are our alternatives. To bring the Motorway into Plymouth would cost millions per mile and there will never be a fast rail link as long as it goes through Dawlish and Star Cross. To bring it across Dartmoor would cost even more, not to mention the environment issue.
To promote bussiness in Plymouth Clients etc need to be able to fly in and out in the same day. Not some lengthy rail journey having to stop overnight and travel back the next day.
Where is the sense in abandoning our Airport. It is a cheap quick fix for the future of Plymouth.
Shorly SHH is not more powerful than PCC. We just need to protect this land as Airport land and not allow it to go into the private sector. Once it's gone..... It's gone for good. This belongs to the people of Plymouth.”
by nick475
Thursday, June 14 2012, 7:16PM
“Obviously SHH has got Tudor in their pocket. How can the council be so short sighted. So if there is no airport what do we have...
We have a slow train and a slow road... It would cost millions of pounds per mile to bring the motorway to Plymouth and YEARS.
We will never have a fast rail line as long as it goes through Dawlish and Star Cross. Again it would cost Mega Millions of pounds to bring the line across Dartmoor, not to mention the environment issue. And again YEARS.
4.5 million is cheap. To get the airport back into operation again.
Tudor Evans got us into this mess by allowing a "consruction company" a 150 year lease with a free get out of jail card (Armageddon Clause) built in. I think Tudor Evans should not sell us out and stay true to his word and stand up to SHH and protect "OUR LAND AS AIRPORT LAND"
Don't allow this land to go to the private sector. This is the same as... If I had a house and I let it to the Director of SHH. And he said. "I'll tell you what Nick, If things don't work out, then you sell the house and I'll take 25% of the proceeds from the sale." In 2000 SHH must have thought all their Christmas's had come at once.
I would also like to add. when he says "More people signed the petition to save the airport than used the airport." The petition stands at just over 24,000 signatures. Where as over 100,000 passengers used the airport last year. If he wants over 100,000 signatures I'm sure this can be done.
He also stated "the council was not prepared to pump money into it." Yet When it came to selling off the old runway for excess of 14 million and SHH exercised the Armaggedan clause then, and stood to get 3.5 million pound. The conservative council allowed them to have 50% instead of the 25%. And then on top of that through in their 50% (7million pound). This money then shoud have gone into the airport improvements. It built a new road, where has the rest of the money gone. You do the maths. I reckon SHH owes us.”
by mrbenn47
Thursday, June 14 2012, 6:33PM
“Typical for this city, two s***e leaders reading from the same hymn sheet. No thoughts to anything or anyone but themselves. How sad it is to witness this ONCE nice city being run by SHH for personal greed. If the local bus company had not been sold (go ahead are making a very tidy profit) then the airport could of been subsidised. All we keep hearing is growth for the city, but how can that happen when everything of any value is sold to make way for housing. What this council NEEDS to be concentrating on is bring in more business and creating jobs, you know actually doing what they are supposed to (and being well paid) do, looking after the interests of their constituents. I am sure somebody or bodies are becoming very wealthy from this and the previous councils actions. VIVE LA REVOLUTION!!!! ASAP before there is nothing left (remember this city belongs to THE PEOPLE and not evans or pengelley)”
by fiest1406
Thursday, June 14 2012, 5:35PM
“What did anyone expect...They would tell anyone a "rat was up a drain pipe" to get elected...Like selling off Drakes Island and then the Airport to SHH to which Mr Mc Cauly is a major shareholder..Evans has done more damage then the German Luftwaffe did to this City. Clearly the contracts were worded in favour of SHH and against the City a strange position? However, as others have said the simplest thing to do to protect this land at, is to not grant any planning permission until all options to retain an airport are exhausted....Not do what Tudor did to Seaton Pool, demolish it as quick as possible to make sure there was no going back? Still a rubble site to this day another Labour legacy.”
by bluebell2
Thursday, June 14 2012, 5:20PM
“THE only way a airport will work is to have jet facillitys witch should have been done years ago in plymouth . bluebell”
by Aspex Software
Thursday, June 14 2012, 3:57PM
“A functioning airport at Plymouth is very important for both personal and business use, and I lament the closure of Plymouth Airport on both counts.
Our business at the Tamar Science Park hosted a Japanese delegation this week. The business meeting was successful with the exception of the awkward and tiring journey for the Japanese to transit from Heathrow to Plymouth. We were embarrassed by this part of the visit even before they made the difficulty very clear to us.
From a personal view I very much miss the ability to visit family in Norfolk which was straightforwarded when flights were available to Norwich. The journey by car is a long one and so family visits are less frequent.
I believe that more people would use the airport if flights were very frequent and more widely publicised.”