There are plans to open a heliport in Plymouth – almost a decade after the city’s airport closed.
Halo Aviation, a charter helicopter firm based in Surrey, wants to take over land at Victoria House, a mansion on a private hill in the Cattedown area of the city.
The art-deco, eight-bedroom property is one of the most impressive in the city and worth about £2million. It already boasts its own helicopter hangar, helipad and direct flying rights.
Halo Aviation wants to start chopper flights to Heathrow, Newquay and Exeter, which would mean Plymouth would then be connected to worldwide destinations.
Plymouth City Airport’s long-lease holder Sutton Harbour Group Plc closed the aerodrome on December 23, 2011, saying it was not economically sustainable.
There have been campaigns to reopen the airport ever since, but it remains mothballed.
Now Halo Aviation has applied to Plymouth City Council for an environmental impact assessment screening opinion, effectively to ask if the idea of a shuttle service from the city is viable.
It said it has already asked for the support of aviation campaign group Fly Plymouth, as well as the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
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The plan would include a base for the air ambulance, coastguard choppers and the police helicopter.
Council planning chiefs are yet to respond to the application.
In documents submitted to city planners, Halo Aviation said: "The primary proposed use of the heliport is for the transportation of individual clients to and from the site at their request.
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"In addition to this primary use the proposed Plymouth City Heliport also proposes to provide a shuttle service connecting Plymouth City Centre to Heathrow via Newquay Airport’s new scheduled service.
"A shuttle to Exeter Airport would also link Plymouth to a wide variety of 海角视频 and European destinations.
"The applicants have already engaged with Fly Plymouth and Devon Air Ambulance Devon on the proposals.
"Devon Air Ambulance Trust has expressed their support for an alternative landing site to Derriford Hospital and particularly to provide them additional refuel capabilities.
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"It is also envisaged that the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopters based at Exeter airport and HM Coastguard Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft based at Newquay airport would also benefit from an alternative landing and refuelling site which would result in significant benefits for public security and safety."
If approved, the heliport aims to evolve by 2030 into a site for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
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Documents in support of the application add: "The geographical nature of the site already lends itself to operations in poor weather and certification of a GPS-enabled approach forms part of the development proposal.
"This would allow emergency services aircraft a safe, 24/7 alternative to Exeter or Newquay airport in adverse weather conditions.
"Should all those operations, as listed above, become operational at the site then the applicant envisages an average of 3-4 commercial landings per week."