Questions over airport sale amid fears deal is in trouble
It's not been an easy ride so far for the two local authorities trying to sell Gloucestershire Airport, and now it looks like there are growing question marks over the deal.
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There are concerns the sale of Gloucestershire Airport could fall through amid questions over the deal.
Gloucester City Council and Cheltenham Borough Council are in the process of selling the Staverton airport, which they jointly own, to their preferred bidder Horizon Aero Group.
Council leaders announced in July that the 375-acre site which includes two thriving business parks and planning consent for an additional 30,000 square metres of business space who they would sell the site to.
In September, City Council leader Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) said he was hopeful the airport would be sold by Christmas.
However, there has been speculation that the sale may be in trouble.
Labour group leader Terry Pullen (Moreland) asked what had gone wrong at last night’s cabinet meeting at North Warehouse (December 10).
“To be frank, it doesn’t look convincing that Horizon Aero Group would be able to proceed,” he said.
“Is the leader still confident the sale will still go ahead? When are you estimating that will be and what happens if the sale of the airport falls through.”
Councillor Hilton said they are working on the basis that due diligence is continuing both for the bidders and the airport owners.
“It will be complete when it is complete,” he said.
“Sometimes these things take longer than you would expect. But it is a very detailed sale.
“There is a lot of property and assets there for the bidders to be reassured they are getting the right value for it.”
He said he believes the sale would continue but could not absolutely guarantee it until the contract has been signed.
“Just the same if you’re buying a house,” he said. “
“It’s not sold until it is sold, until everybody has signed the deal and paid the money.”
He claimed there was “some noise around in the media” that is “uncorroborated stuff which has been spouted out by individuals that hasn’t got any basis in fact.”
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com