The entire 350-acre Gloucestershire Airport site is on the market after months of uncertainty.

Joint owners Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council have appointed Savills to market the freehold of the airport.

Assurances have been given that a buyer will be sought who will "continue aviation operations" and will also bring investment to help grow "airport related commercial development".

The news comes just months after doubts were expressed over a potential sale.

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, leader of Gloucester City Council, said in July he was still undecided whether to green light the disposal of the airport and that more information needed to be gathered.. He had previously said a private sector investment may be better.

The civic chief has now chosen to forge ahead with the sale alongside his Cheltenham counterpart.

Cllr Hilton said: "The council is looking for a buyer with an exciting and robust plan to deliver aviation-based growth at Staverton.

"Our aim is to secure the long-term future of

Gloucestershire Airport.

"The airport already benefits the local economy with many businesses operating out of Staverton, with a substantial number of them being directly related to aviation."

He said the airport needed a capital injection to deliver on its strategy and business plan and a buyer would be sought who had confidence in the potential of the business to grow and remain the " premier general aviation airport in the Southwest".

Cllr Rowena Hay, leader at Cheltenham Borough Council, said both councils had worked hard to enhance the airport, which was crowned the UK's busiest general aviation airport in 2023.

"The airport's significant contribution to the regional economy is well recognised," she added.

"Now, it's time for a new owner to drive the airport forward, ensuring growth for the business and the wider economy.

"We're confident we'll find a buyer who recognises the site's commercial potential."

What's for sale

Offers are being invited for the Staverton site which has planning consent for an additional 30,000sqm of business space.

The sale will include 100% of the shares in the operating company, Gloucestershire Airport Limited which are currently split evenly between the two councils.

Established in the 1930s, the airport contributes around £52million a year to the local economy and employs up to 3,000 people directly and indirectly.

Ian Simpson, head of leisure and trading at Savills, said: "It's extremely rare for an airport to come to the market, especially in such a prime location.

"The councils have done an excellent job over the last few years, as proven by the substantial level of air traffic last year, but now it is time for a new owner to seize this business opportunity and build on its historic success.

"There is huge potential for further airport related and ancillary development, with the aim of this process being to find a buyer who will continue aviation operations, as well as deliver further growth in airport related commercial development.

"We are confident that the new owner will aim high and take the business to the next level."

Chequered past

In 2020 the councils invested in runway improvement work at the airport ro helps secure its future. 

It then emerged that an outline plan to sell off the asset was simultaneously approved by the councils. At the time they said the airport contributed around £52m annually to the local economy and had a "key role" in supporting developments such as Golden Valley and The Forum.

News that the airport may be sold first broke in November 2023 after rumours surfaced that an unnamed company had offered to purchase the site.

Concerns were voiced that the hub could be stripped of its parts in a sell-off but in January the councils said it would be sold as an operational airport and they would "try and secure its future" as a viable business.

Jason Ivey, managing director at Gloucestershire Airport, also scotched the rumours and said its future would be "safeguarded".

He was parachuted into the role in July 2023 in the wake of managing director Karen Taylor's sudden departure from the airport.

He brought in a new management team to oversee the running of the airport which boasts the UK's 13th busiest landing strip, with 66,106 flights ln 2023.

Savills was appointed to market the site with a target date of March 2025 for any sale agreement.

Business community

The airport has two primary tarmac runways and advanced navigation systems as well as its own fire station.

It also includes two business parks spanning a combined 700,000 square foot, with planning consent for an additional 320,000sqft of business space.

Numerous high-profile aviation-related businesses, such as Babcock, Safran Group and Weston Aviation, call the airport home.

Gloucestershire Airport Limited holds the long leasehold interest in the majority of the site under seven leasehold titles and owns the freehold interest in the land where the main airport access road is situated.

Mr Ivey said: "Although both Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council have been incredibly supportive of the airport over the years, we now enter the next chapter of Gloucestershire Airport's story and I can't wait for the business to fully realise its true potential with the right investor."

Mark Owen, editor of punchline-gloucester.com, said: "We believe Gloucestershire Airport is the jewel in the crown of the business community here.

"Selling it will guarantee its future as long as there are caveats that it can't be redeveloped into housing.

"We applaud the leaders of the councils for working together and recognising that they should not be running an airport and for taking this bold and brave step after years of prevarication.

"It shows real leadership, especially as Cllr Hilton only took control of the city council a few months ago."

History

• 1931 Down Hatherley Airfield opened near the village of the same name.
• 1936 it relocated to the current site and was named Staverton Airport.
• World War II the airfield served as a training base for pilots and was home to the RAF Police Dog Training School. It was known as RAF Staverton.
• It was later used by Alan Cobham as he developed in-flight refuelling and also extensively by the U.S. Army.
• After the war, what is now Smiths Group used the airport as a test site for various aircraft. At the same time the airport provided scheduled services to the Channel Islands, Dublin and Isle of Man.
• 1960s the Skyfame Museum, dedicated to World War II aircraft, opened.
• 1990s it became home to the headquarters and helicopters of Police Aviation Services and Bond Air Services
• 1993 its name was changed to Gloucestershire Airport and In Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Councils formed Gloucestershire Airport Limited.
• 2001 the airport received a much-needed multi-million pound investment, funded by Gloucestershire LEP, Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Councils. These upgrades meant the north-south runway could be closed, freeing up over 300,000 square foot of surplus land for development.
• 2013- 2017, Citywing operated scheduled flights from the airport, describing it as Gloucester (M5) Airport. This ended in March 2017, after the airline was liquidated.
• March 2015, the airport announced a £6million investment over the next 10 years.
• 2021- 2022 the airport received almost £10m of capital investment funded by Gloucestershire LEP, Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Councils, in the runways and associated infrastructure.