RAF St Athan becomes civilian airport

The site is near Cardiff Airport in Vale of Glamorgan

St Athan airfield has become a civilian airport after it was taken over by the Welsh Government and Cardiff Airport earlier.

For more than 80 years, the Vale of Glamorgan site has operated as an RAF base.

It was announced last July that the change of hands would take place.

It is hoped the venture, which includes the running of a business park, will create 2,000 jobs including 750 at a new Aston Martin factory.

The transition is scheduled to take place over 10 years and will see the airfield regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority rather than the Military Aviation Authority of the Ministry of Defence.

Transport Secretary Ken Skates said there were currently no plans to develop St Athan as a passenger airport but freight services might be a possibility.