MPs criticise 'rushed' airport partnership plan

A final report on the deal is due to be presented to the Conservative-led council's cabinet group in the autumn

Cornwall's newly elected MPs have criticised a "rushed" move to find a commercial partner to help run Cornwall Airport Newquay.

Earlier in August, Cornwall Council said it had entered talks with Adynaton Asset Management LLP to help develop the site, which receives £4.8m annually from the authority.

A joint statement from Liberal Democrat MPs Ben Maguire and Andrew George and Labour's Perran Moon, Anna Gelderd, Noah Law and Jayne Kirkham said there had not been enough consultation.

A final report on the deal is due to be presented to the Conservative-led council's cabinet group in the autumn. The council declined to comment on the remarks from MPs.

'We are concerned'

The MPs said they were concerned by decisions that had been made by the council.

They added "meaningful consultation" should take place with businesses and councillors.

"We are concerned that decisions made by Cornwall Council's cabinet about the future of Cornwall Newquay Airport and the 650 acres of Cornwall surrounding it are being rushed, without full consultation with the business community or transparency with the public around the process of the negotiation and the commercial terms of the deal," the MPs said.

They asked the council to publish any consultation process which would be undertaken and what independent political scrutiny would be made.

Spaceport Cornwall is part of the 650-acre site at Newquay Airport

A council spokesperson said the authority would not be commenting on the statement from Cornwall's MPs.

When the plans were unveiled earlier this year, the council said it was hoping to find a private firm to jointly-run the airport which provides about £72m a year to the Cornish economy.

Along with the main airport buildings, the site includes Spaceport Cornwall, the Aerohub Business Park, Kernow Solar Farm and 200 acres of undeveloped land.

While unveiling the prospective partner on 1 August, Councillor Louis Gardner, portfolio holder for the economy, said it would provide a long-term economic stimulus the area needed.

"This the next step in a very rigorous process and means an exciting opportunity to introduce potential significant new funding into the Cornish economy," he said.