Mystery bidder offers £4 million for Carlisle Airport
Last updated at 23:31, Monday, 24 May 2010
Carlisle City Council has received an approach on behalf of an unnamed buyer said to be prepared to pay up to £4 million for the freehold to Carlisle Airport.
The Crosby-on-Eden airfield is leased to Stobart Group for a nominal rent. The lease has 141 years to run.
Anyone who bought the freehold could attempt to revoke the lease to gain possession, subject to payment of compensation to Stobarts.
A council spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that it has received an approach.
It came from aviation consultant Peter Elliott who has been embroiled in a long-running legal battle with Stobart Group and its chief executive Andrew Tinkler.
Mr Elliott claims to be acting on behalf of an anonymous would-be buyer.
He said: “We have put a formal bid on the table for £4m to buy the freehold.
“If it succeeds, the people of Irthington would have a share in the airport.
“All the tenant farmers [who have grazing rights on airfield land] would have retained rights and an opportunity to buy the freehold. We are not going to go into detail [about plans] but we will give an undertaking that the airport will continue to function at least until 2025.
“There will be development for a project which will have very significant tourism and environmental value.”
It is understood the offer would give the council £2m immediately plus another £2m if the buyer obtained planning consent for development.
Mr Elliott wrote to Mark Lambert, the council’s assistant director – governance, this week suggesting that the authority invites formal bids for the freehold or auctions it on the open market.
The council has yet to respond.
News of the approach is the latest twist in the long-running airport saga.
Stobart Group’s plans to build offices and warehousing suffered a setback last week when the Court of Appeal overturned planning permission for the £25m scheme.
Lord Justice Sullivan upheld a challenge from Irthington farmer Gordon Brown who argued the city council had failed to assess the environmental impact of Stobart’s proposal.
After hearing about the offer yesterday, Mr Tinkler said: “I would imagine that the city council would have to look at the benefit any decision they make will bring to the people of Carlisle.
“They’d also have to consider what it means to them to keep Stobarts in Cumbria, creating employment.”
First published at 11:32, Monday, 24 May 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
I address Forum Troll - maybe indeed a Forum of one who does not want to identify himself.
We are unlikely to convince you by the look of your previous blogs however as you will know the word 'development' encompasses a plethera of designs and ideas etc. Our plans and strategy for growth of Lake District Airport are significantly different to the current tenant. Our plans are very much in keeping with the countryside, the environment and the visual impacts at the site. Our plans give all the immediate residents some control of the Airport. Our plans are great for jobs and tourism and aviation and the environment. They are not public at this stage for obvious reasons but when the bid process is conducted by Carlisle City Council further information will be given and we expect considerable support from many areas for our strategy. There are hundreds of businesses throughout Cumbria Forum Troll - any are welcome to bid. Of course any from outside should also not be precluded. There is not just one show in town at all and it is only democratic that any organisation with exciting investment plans should be entitled to bid. Again this will raise millions for CCC and Stobart can also bid so it is great for the taxpayer. I would ask you to engage that it is exciting to live in a dynamic economy that maybe three companies are interested in developing Lake District Airport. I would ask you to embrace that the only step for Carlisle City Council to now take is to at least conduct a closed or open bid auction which is great for the tapayer who will all enjoy potentially even a cut in Council Tax at a difficult economic time for many families.View all 15 comments on this article
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How can this airport be called a "LAKE DISTRICT" airport. Its nowhere near there.. maybe Hadrians Wall Airport would be a more suitable name...
Posted by Colin on 27 May 2010 at 10:11