Firms fear preferred buyers will break up airport

Gloucestershire Airport is being sold by the two local councils that own it

Businesses at Gloucestershire Airport have warned the "vital regional asset" risks being broken up and sold off for housing after councils picked a buyer they claim "has no aviation knowledge".

Horizon Aero Group was named by Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City councils as their preferred buyer after it offered more than the £25m asking price for the loss-making airport.

But RGV Aviation said the deal was full of "red flags", claiming Horizon appeared intent on "selling off parts of the airport land".

The councils said they had carried out "rigorous due diligence" and that Horizon Aero has "demonstrated a clear commitment to growing the airport as a commercially viable operation".

Horizon Aero Group, which was set up in January to bid for the site, is still conducting its own "due diligence" on the sale, which is not definite yet, and has not responded to a BBC request for comment.

But speaking when it was announced as the preferred bidder, Soma Pemmireddy, CEO of Horizon Aero Group, said: "Our priority is to build strong local relationships, maintain seamless operations, and begin laying the groundwork for future investment.

"We are excited to help unlock the airport's full potential while aligning with the goals of the community and region."

Darren Lewington was operations director at the airport until 2018 and said he is "deeply concerned" about the sale

Gloucestershire is the busiest 'General Aviation' airport in the country, handling 68,000 aircraft movements in 2023, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Pilots learn to fly there and about 180 light aircraft, helicopters and private jets operate from the airport.

But now one of the biggest firms operating at the airport, RGV Aviation, has written to the councils expressing "serious concerns" about the "credibility and long-term intentions" of Horizon.

In the letter, shared with the BBC, RGV Aviation boss Stuart Vincent claimed Horizon had "already hosted numerous external investors on site, seemingly with the intention of parcelling and selling off parts of the airport land".

If the land was to be sold for housing and commercial development, RGV estimates it would be worth £400m.

The letter said it was "alarming and difficult to justify" the land being sold for a fraction of this value.

Mr Vincent said: "This airport is a vital regional asset and must not be reduced to a land deal."

About 180 light aircraft, helicopters and private jets operate from the airport

The 350-acre (142-hectare) site was earmarked for sale by Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Council in November 2023 to help balance the books, with Horizon Aero Group announced as the preferred bidder in July this year.

The company is a joint venture between UK-based Vayu Aviation Services Ltd, and Vensa Infrastructure Ltd, an Indian infrastructure firm.

According to its latest set of accounts, Vayu Aviation Services has net assets of just £4,062 and six staff.

Firms operating at the airport said they are concerned the group has no proven track record in running airports.

Steve Williams runs a hangar and flying school at Staverton

Darren Lewington, a previous head of operations at Gloucestershire Airport and who still runs businesses there, said most firms "fully support" the airport being sold into private ownership, to bring in much needed investment.

But he added "there's no evidence" Horizon had any experience "relevant to a very niche and very specialist operation such as Gloucestershire Airport".

Mr Lewington said he was "deeply concerned that within five to 10 years this site will be completely redeveloped and there will be no flying operations".

He added that ending flights from the site would be "an enormous loss in terms of jobs and contribution to the local economy".

Mr Lewington's concerns are echoed by Steve Williams, who owns hangars and runs Staverton Flying School at the airport.

Mr Williams told the BBC he fears "we will get down to a situation in which we've got a single runway" while the rest of the airport "will have industrial buildings and housing put on there".

He said Horizon have "no knowledge of aviation whatsoever".

Jeremy Hilton, leader of Gloucester City Council, said claims the new buyers would build houses on the airport were "nonsense"

In an effort to reassure businesses, the two councils have said they have undertaken a robust assessment of the potential bidders to ensure the long term success of the airport.

After naming Horizon as the preferred buyer, Gloucester City Council leader Jeremy Hilton had also said the sale will include a strict 50-year "covenant" to stop developers building on the land.

Responding to the concerns, the two councils added that Horizon brought "extensive industry experience".

The proposed buyers, they said, have "demonstrated a clear commitment to maintaining and growing the airport as a commercially viable operation".

The sale of the airport is still going through legal checks and is not definite yet.

The councils' joint statement concluded: "Both councils are confident that Horizon's proposal represents the most realistic and sustainable path forward for Gloucestershire Airport."