Airport secures £24.3m grant for expansion

NEWQUAY Airport has received a £24.3 million boost this week, the second largest grant made to any European airport.

The grant, approved by European Commission (EC) chiefs on Thursday, will allow airport bosses to push ahead with a massive expansion programme.

The EC's approval saw money from convergence funding and the Objective One scheme matched with cash from Cornwall Council and the Regional Development Agency.

Known as "state aid approval", the EC said it gave the grant the green light after realising the long term beneficial effects the airport has on the local economy.

Chris Cain, project director at the airport, said: "It demonstrates that they have the confidence in our team to be able to deliver on our goals and targets for the airport."

However, Mr Cain said the money does not give them approval for mass building projects included in the airport master plan.

"This doesn't give us the green light to go out and build hotels and other new facilities," he said. "That is all separate and has to be worked through closely with individual business plans and through the normal planning process.

"What the money does allow us to do is to claim back some of the money already spent on some aspects and then allow us to sit down and assess where we go forward from here.

"The funding process is somewhat bureaucratic but you can't do an awful lot without it."

The cash does mean the airport has now secured £68 million in total from various agencies for its redevelopment.

And one immediate result of that cash boost could be the creation of more jobs.

Mr Cain said: "We have inherited around 300,000sq ft of buildings from the MOD and we are now working to get these renovated and then rented out to aviation businesses with the aim of creating more well-paid, local jobs."

The airport's master plan, released in December last year, outlined a host of potential developments.

These include a new terminal on the south side of the site, an aviation training centre and a business park.

News of the funding approval has been welcomed by tourism and political leaders in Cornwall.

Steve Gilbert, prospective parliamentary candidate for Newquay and St Austell, said: "Newquay airport is a huge success story for Cornwall and a vital transport link for local people, businesses and visitors.

"It's great news that the future development of the airport now looks secure and this investment comes at the right time to be a real boost to the local economy."

And Malcolm Bell, chairman of South West Tourism, added: "Developing the airport is about raising the profile of Cornwall.

"Even if people don't use the airport, they expect a major tourism destination to have a decent airport.

"We also need to open up the county to overseas visitors if we want to boost the local tourism economy."