The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has announced the first investor at the Aerohub Enterprise Zone at Newquay Cornwall Airport.
More than 30 high quality jobs will be created at the airport when the Classic Aircraft Trust relocates its fleet of iconic post-war jet aircraft to Newquay, having outgrown its existing premises at Coventry Airport.
The move will create 27 full time jobs including engineers, flight crew, technicians and administrative staff, plus around six part time jobs, all in year one. And with plans to bring more aircraft to site, further jobs are expected, as well as engineering training and apprenticeship programmes.
The Classic Aircraft Trust will occupy Hangar 404 at the airport, which will be home to the Classic Air Force centre. This will be an interactive visitor attraction which will include the largest operational fleet of vintage jets in the UK, maintained at Newquay.
The Trust will be able to take advantage of the benefits of the Enterprise Zone, including business rate relief and a streamlined planning regime.
LEP chairman Chris Pomfret said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Classic Aircraft Trust to the Aerohub and we expect them to be the first of many. This is evidence of how appealing the Enterprise Zone is to aviation companies because we have the right business environment and some of the best infrastructure in Europe.
“That’s the message we’ll also be taking to the Farnborough Air Show when we attend in a few weeks’ time.
“The LEP is a strategic body, and wishes to place on record its acknowledgement of Cornwall Development Company and Cornwall Airport Limited with whom it has worked closely in bringing this deal to fruition.”
As well as the collection of over 30 vintage aeroplanes, the Classic Air Force centre will have pleasure flights in a vintage DeHavilland Dragon Rapide Biplane and a variety of other aviation experiences on offer including taxi-ing rides, engine starts and maintenance demos. The centre will also have a cinema, interactive exhibits, a café and even aims to create diner housed inside the cabin of a Douglas D-6.
The move coincides with the official launch today of the LEP’s Growth Strategy. A live webcast is due to take place at 11am.
