A group of new senior leaders has been brought in to help with the sale of Gloucestershire Airport. The aviation hub in Staverton was put on the market at the end of last year with Gloucester City Council and Cheltenham Borough Council, which jointly own the site, seeking a new owner.
The airport is currently operated by Gloucestershire Airport Ltd and the local authorities have said their intention is to sell the airport as a "going concern", meaning it will continue operating, with measures in place to try and secure its future as a viable business for the area.
Gloucester City Council's Conservative leader Richard Cook the transport hub would not be "asset stripped" and redeveloped into a housing estate. He said there have been eight expressions of interest so far but he expects that will be whittled down to two or three.
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A team of professionals has now been put in place, headed by airport director Jason Ivey, to explore "current and future opportunities to maximise the potential of the airport".
The new appointments include head of people Lisa Milden; head of air traffic Chris Brian; and head of business development and marketing Helen Webb. The trio join Angela Madigan, head of finance; and Brian Rawlings, head of operations, who were recruited in the autumn.
Mr Ivey said: “I’m delighted to now have such an experienced and professional senior leadership team. They will play a key role in supporting myself and both councils with the sale of the airport, as well as its development in the short-to-medium-term whilst the sale is progressed. If we stood still and waited for the sale to happen we would be going backwards and this wouldn’t benefit either the airport, our tenants, or future investors."
The two councils have said they "understand the importance" of the airport to the regional economy, which is why they have pledged to sell to an investor who will keep it operational.
The local authorities have said they are working to bring the site forward to the market and are in the process of appointing "appropriate advisors" as well as carrying out necessary due diligence in line with local government and procurement rules.
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This was reiterated at a recent meeting of the airport's resident businesses, according to the council, which said the companies have offered their "full support" to the airport director and his new team.
“It’s fantastic to have the support of our resident business”, said Mr Ivey. "They understand that we are prioritising making the airport a commercially and vibrant aviation hub for the benefit of them and the wider community."
The existing 300-acre Gloucestershire Airport site was formed in 1936 and originally named Staverton Airport, replacing its predecessor at Down Hatherley Airfield. In 1993 Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Councils formed Gloucestershire Airport Limited.