It closed in 2011
The leader of Plymouth City Council has written to the secretary of state for transport asking for support to reopen Plymouth Airport.
Cllr Tudor Evans (Lab, Ham) wants to explore any “emerging opportunities” to support aviation in the city and how Plymouth could play a future role in the success of the sector.
The council wants to keep the airport site, which was closed in 2011 when the company that leased it, part of the Sutton Harbour Group, said it was no longer viable.
The council is currently engaged in a legal process with the tenants, which wants to build houses on part of the 41 hectare site, over an alleged breach of the lease.
The Joint Local Plan of 2019 safeguards the land for aviation use until the next review of the plan, which is currently taking place.
In his letter to transport secretary Heidi Alexander, Cllr Evans said the airport site could contribute to the city’s future strategic transport needs, support connectivity, and potentially contribute to a sector that will need to transform to meet the requirements of net-zero.
Two reports in the last five years looking at the viability of re-opening the airport concluded that there is no prospect of the private sector running commercial or general aviation operations without public sector support.
Cllr Evans wrote: “Like most industries, covid-19 impacted negatively on the aviation sector and the viability challenge identified in the two commissioned reports were not too surprising.”
He continued: “The introduction of new types of aircraft such as drones and electrical vertical take-off and landing aircraft present opportunities for low carbon local and regional air mobility for goods and people.
“We have been grateful for the past support of your department through the Airfield Development Advisory Fund, and we would be keen to explore what other emerging opportunities there may be to support aviation in the city, and how Plymouth could play a future role in the success of the aviation sector.”
Conservative Group leader Cllr Andy Lugger (Southway) brought a motion to the full council before Christmas asking the leader to write to the government to ask for support for the airport and to recommend the council’s economic development department looks at how to fund it.
The motion was referred to the scrutiny management panel this week where the council’s service director for economic development David Draffan said a government fund of £975 million is available for businesses involved in aviation innovation, but it isn’t for infrastructure projects.
The last time there was general aviation funding available applicants had to be in control of an airport to be eligible, he said
Mr Draffan said if grants are available, the economic development team would know. He said: “We are really good at getting funding. In the last financial year we generated £102 million of economic grant funding for the city and we have a dedicated grant funding officer so there is someone all day and every day looking at this.”