'Airport must continue' - council boss

A key decision about whether to sell a "vital" council-owned airport is back up for debate.

Plans to sell Gloucestershire Airport , which is jointly owned by Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council, were announced at the end of 2023.

But after the Liberal Democrats took over the city council in May, they said they want to gather more information before making a decision.

“We’ve got to make sure the airport continues, we’ve got to protect all the businesses and the people who operate [there]," said council leader Jeremy Hilton.

The site, in Staverton, has been run by Gloucestershire Airport Ltd since 1993, and both councils have a 50% shareholding.

Mr Hilton said the Liberal Democrat manifesto his party won the local election on stated they will continue to help maintain the site "as an important aviation and high-tech business hub", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports.

“There are about 400 to 500 jobs directly related to the airport there.

“There are quite clearly some skilled aviation-based jobs so that’s our concern," he told the overview and scrutiny committee.

Mr Hilton said there were discussions at the end of 2023 about parties interested in purchasing the site.

The airport is mainly used for private flights, training and clubs - and brings in more than £50m each year to the local economy.

“At the moment we are gathering as much information as we possibly can before we decide whether we actually make a decision on whether to put the airport up for sale,” Mr Hilton continued.

“If it went up for sale, we would have to see what came back and what the offers were and whether they were reasonable offers.

"It’s vital for the economy of the county.”

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