Plymouth Airport partner sought by city council

Flying stopped from Plymouth Airport in July 2011

New attempts are being made by Plymouth City Council to recruit a private sector operator for the city's airport.

The site closed in December after lease-holder Sutton Harbour Holdings (SHH) said it was no longer viable after the economic downturn.

Leader of the Labour-run council Tudor Evans said the authority could not provide any subsidy.

But he added the council did not want to leave the site shut and say "that's that".

SHH took over operation of the airport in 2000 after being granted a 150-year lease from the city council, which owns the site in Roborough.

Flying stopped in July 2011 before its closure.

The airport's non-viability was accepted by the city's previous Conservative administration.

During 2011, discussions were held by the council with 12 potential airlines and 17 airport operators but none of them wanted to invest in the project, it said.