By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Securing Gloucestershire Airport’s aviation future and protecting jobs will be key for civic chiefs in their decision to sell the site next month.
Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Council, who jointly own the Staverton airport, put it up for sale in October last year.
A decision on the sale of the site, which has a guide price of £25,000,000, is expected at an extraordinary meeting on June 26.
The 350-acre Staverton airport, which was established in the 1930s, will be sold in its entirety.
And city chiefs say the two preferred bidders have investment plans for the operational airport to continue.
The leaders of Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council and officers met with the preferred bidders recently for a full discussion at the Guildhall.
City Council leader Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) told yesterday’s (May 19) annual meeting that the sale process is “getting close to its conclusion”
“We are now working out the one we will recommend to full council that we go into a 12 week period of tight negotiations for the preferred bidder to buy Gloucestershire airport,” he said.
“The extraordinary council meeting has been set for June 26 and there will be a full in-person members briefing.
“For members to come to this council chamber to ask questions about the preferred bid and what the details we can give you are.
“All I can say is both of the top bidders were very keen to provide an operational airport and had investment plans for an operational airport into the future.
“We are confident it will see the future of the airport continue and aviation will continue and grow there.
“We also seek jobs to be protected and a lot more created in that sector in the future.”
He said Cheltenham Borough Council will make a decision before them because its leader has more power over her authority than he has over the City Council.
He said he wants every member of Gloucester City Council to discuss, debate and make a decision on the proposal.