The Plymouth City Council issued the following news:
Potential operators interested in running the city's airport are being asked to come forward as part of a push to clarify the future of Plymouth's airport.
The leader of the council Councillor Tudor Evans is renewing calls for interest from the private sector to own and run the airport in an effort to show that all options for the provision of a new airport have been explored.
This follows the closure of the airport at Roborough by its owners Sutton Harbour Holdings. The company closed the airport in 2011 saying it was no longer viable. This was endorsed and non-viability of the airport accepted by the previous council administration in August 2011.
Councillor Tudor Evans said: "This is an issue we've inherited, but we are not going to just shrug our shoulders and say 'that's that'.
"We've made it pretty clear that we've supported the airport throughout its history and would like the city to have an airport with a range of destinations and regular flights, but the airport is shut. And any new set-up would have to be run by the private sector, with real money behind the plans, not just good intentions.
"There's a lot of debate still going on around the airport and misunderstanding about what we can feasibly do. In the current climate and with substantial cuts to the Council's funding, we're simply not in a position to subsidise any venture in any way."
Now the Council Leader is appealing to the private sector once more to see if there is any interest in delivering a sustainable airport in the city. Any potential airport operator will need to address the following five tests:
1. Be able to acquire ownership of the airport and associated infrastructure
2. To operate without the need for public subsidy
3. Have an ongoing commitment to air services
4. Have a fully-funded long-term business plan
5. Clearly evidence demand for and provision of Plymouth air services.
Councillor Evans added: "We want to see if the market has moved on since last summer, to see if any potential investors are looking at the airport and we are happy to guide them in any way we can.
"The provision of a new airport facility is a strategic planning issue for the city. This will be considered through the development of the Plymouth Plan, which needs to make strategic planning judgements by summer 2013. The Plymouth Plan will be developed against a robust evidence base, which will assess the importance of Plymouth having an airport as well as taking account of the responses we receive to the five tests."
Before the Council accepted Sutton Harbour's notice of non-viability it carried out extensive testing to gauge the level of interest in buying and running the airport.
Discussions were held with 12 potential airlines, 17 potential airport operators as well as the Civil Aviation Authority, neighbouring authorities and airport operators. At the time there was no commercial appetite to operate the airport.
The land is currently protected under planning policy as an airport. If, however, the private sector cannot deliver, possible future uses of the land to support jobs and the growth in the city's economy will be explored through the Plymouth Plan.
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