09 July 2012
MINISTER LAUNCHES CORNWALL’S AEROHUB AT FARNBOROUGH
· England’s first dedicated aerospace Enterprise Zone will create 2,500 jobs
· Unique aerospace offer – operational airport adjacent to largest development site in the South West
· First new investor already secured
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership will today welcome the Minister of State for Business & Enterprise to formally launch ‘Aerohub @ Newquay Cornwall Airport’ at the Farnborough International Airshow.
Aerohub, the only entirely aerospace focused Enterprise Zone in England on an operational airport, will create up to 2,500 high-value permanent jobs in Cornwall.
Aerohub is located at Newquay Cornwall Airport which has one of the longest runways in the UK (2.7km), meaning it can support aircraft of any size as well as offer direct access to the North Atlantic and the growing Eastern markets, and is adjacent to the largest development site in the South West.
The aerospace industry is worth around £20 billion[1] per year to the UK economy and the South West one of the country’s most important regions for the industry, with global firms such as AgustaWestland, Pall Aeropower, Lockheed Martin and Serco Aerospace already based in Cornwall. Aerohub Enterprise Zone, which was described by The Chancellor as one of the strongest bids in the country when it was approved in August 2011, will capitalise on these skills and expertise to boost growth by offering aerospace businesses with superfast broadband, simplified planning and business rate discounts.
The Minister said: “Aerohub is a great example of how enterprise zones will be instrumental in stimulating local growth and job opportunities. It will help further strengthen the sector’s skills base while attracting further business that will directly benefit Cornwall’s economy.”
The Minister will be met by Chris Pomfret, Chairman of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, and Councillor Chris Ridgers from Cornwall Council, and shown a 3D ‘fly through’ video highlighting the potential of the Enterprise Zone, as part of his tour of the regional aerospace exhibitions at the Airshow.
Chris Pomfret said: “Aerohub at Newquay Cornwall Airport is unique.
It offers an operational airport with one of the country’s longest runways, buildings, no air traffic control restrictions, easy access to the major road network and a nascent aerospace cluster in one of the most desirable places in the UK in which to live. It combines these attributes with the benefits that come with Enterprise Zone status.
Farnborough gives us the opportunity to demonstrate this unique proposition to the world’s aerospace industry, and, therefore, our potential future customers. They get a great place to ‘do business’ and Cornwall will get much needed skilled jobs”
Chris Ridgers, Cornwall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy & Regeneration added: “The Farnborough International Airshow brings together the worldwide aviation industry and provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to meet existing and future customers and suppliers. Promoting the unique features of Aerohub @ Cornwall Newquay Airport to a global audience raises the profile the Cornwall offer within the aviation sector, which has a good proportion of highly skilled and relatively well highly paid jobs. Attracting some of them to Cornwall, and creating supportive educational and training capabilities to enable many of the jobs to be filled locally, is part of our economic ambitions.”
Aerohub offers aviation firms the ideal business environment and some of the best facilities in Europe with the Enterprise Zone already securing its first investor, the Classic Aircraft Trust, to the site creating over 30 new jobs.
Cornwall is also represented at the Airshow by Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd (GES), which is part of the Space Zone exhibition. GES is encouraging business and individuals operating in space-related industries to relocate to Cornwall to take advantage of the county’s skills and heritage in the aerospace sector and will work closely with the Aerohub Team.
ENDS
Contact Details:
National & trade media enquires should be directed to:
Richard Chapman
Grayling
Tel: +44(0)117 929 2311
Email:
Local and regional media enquires should be directed to:
Trisha Hewitt
CornwallCouncil
Tel: +44(0)1872 32 2186
Mobile: 07785 956 865
Notes to Editors
Enterprise Zones
Enterprise zones have the opportunity to attract investment, developments and jobs through a combination of business rate discounts worth up to £275,000 over five years for each business in the zone, simplified planning procedures and superfast broadband links.
The Aerohub Enterprise Zone is being led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership and Cornwall Council, as the owners of the airport and surrounding land. Cornwall Development Company, the Council’s arms length development company, has been commissioned alongside Cornwall Airport Limited as the operator of the Airport to deliver the project.
www.newquaycornwallairport.com/aerohub
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was launched in May 2011. Private sector-led, it is a partnership between the private and public sectors and is driving the economic strategy for the area, determining local priorities and undertaking activities to drive growth and the creation of local jobs.
www.cornwallandislesofscillylep.com
Cornwall Development Company
Cornwall Development Company is the arms length economic development company of Cornwall Council.
www.cornwalldevelopmentcompany.co.uk
Contact:
Kirsty Miles
01872 322924
Cornwall Airport Limited (CAL)
CAL is a 100% owned company of Cornwall Council and is the operator of Newquay Cornwall Airport.
Contact:
Sarah Burke
01637 861364
[1] ADS Aerospace Survey 2011