Latest news with #RowenaHay
ITV News
09-07-2025
- Business
- ITV News
New owner of Gloucestershire Airport revealed in multi-million pound sale as buyers target expansion
The new owner of Gloucestershire Airport has been revealed as Horizon Aero Group. The company is a joint venture between Vayu Aviation Services Ltd (UK) and Vensa Infrastructure Ltd (India). Horizon says its key aims are to drive job creation, upskilling the local workforce and enhancing the airport's role as a community and economic asset. Ramdev Polkampalli, chairman, Horizon Aero Group Ltd, said: 'We are honoured to be selected as the preferred bidder. "Gloucestershire Airport holds enormous promise, and we are committed to preserving its heritage while investing in its future. "We look forward to working collaboratively with both councils, airport staff, and local stakeholders to ensure a smooth and transparent journey toward completion.' The 375-acre Staverton airport was jointly owned by Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Council. The site was run by Gloucestershire Airport Limited which was established in 1993 - both councils had a 50 per cent shareholding. However, the two authorities revealed in November 2023 their intention to dispose of the site which has struggled commercially and needed a large investment expand its business parks. The councillors gave the go-ahead to sell the airport to new buyers at a full council meeting on 26 June. Councillor Rowena Hay, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, said: 'The airport is a strategic asset for Gloucestershire. "We're encouraged by Horizon's community-first and sustainability-focused approach. "We want to reassure the public that any final deal will uphold the long-term aviation future of the airport and deliver clear benefits to the wider region.' Leader of Gloucester City Council, Councillor Jeremy Hilton, said: 'We were impressed by Horizon's enthusiasm for the airport and their clear recognition of its potential to play an important role in the economic growth of the region. "They share our vision of modernisation and building on it as a place to do business, in turn bringing huge benefits to the area.' Jason Ivey, managing director of Gloucestershire Airport, said: 'I have been really impressed with my interactions with the Horizon Aero Group during the sale process, as this is clearly a company that has the energy and a focussed vision for the future of Gloucestershire Airport. "My team and I are excited to work alongside Horizon during the due diligence phase to assist the airport in transitioning to new ownership.' The business park expansion are part of plans to modernise the infrastructure, focusing on safety, efficiency, and digital innovation in line with the UK's Net Zero targets. The airport sits on a 375-acre site and Horizon now has planning consent for an additional 30,000 square metres of business space. The council-owned airport in Staverton is said to have achieved more than its £25million asking price but the exact amount is not being revealed.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Preferred buyer found for Gloucestershire Airport £25m sale
A preferred bidder has been found to buy a £25m airport and attract new City and Cheltenham Borough councils jointly own Gloucestershire Airport, which was put up for sale in October last identify of the bidder, who is set to take over the 350-acre site at Staverton, is yet to be City Council leader Jeremy Hilton said the bidder "shares our vision of modernising the airport and bringing real benefits to the area and to local people". The airport is mainly used for private and commercial flights, training and clubs - and brings in more than £50m each year to the local the councils will vote separately on 26 June on whether to approve the preferred bidder and move the proposal City Council said part of the plans include expanding the site's business Borough Council leader Rowena Hay said: "We recognise the significant contribution that the airport makes to the regional economy and now is the right time for a new owner to drive this forward.''Jason Ivey, managing director at Gloucestershire Airport, said: "This not only secures current jobs, but also lays the foundations for new jobs creation and infrastructure development."Part of the sale of the airport, which was built in the 1930s, will be used to pay off any outstanding debts to the two councils from a recent refurbishment of the site.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Former Cheltenham council offices could be turned into spa hotel
A Grade II-listed building that once housed council offices could become a luxury spa Borough Council placed the Municipal Offices on the market in September 2024 and has now selected Almiranta Capital as the preferred hope to transform the building, based in the heart of the town, into a hotel with 125 rooms, a spa, and event San Jacinto of Almiranta Capital said: "We want to create a place where visitors and local people will come together socially and for business, which is well connected to all that Cheltenham and the Cotswolds have to offer." Almiranta Capital has now signed a preliminary agreement with the council, but they will still need to submit a planning application. Details of how much the council will gain from the sale and further proposals for the scheme remain commercially confidential, the council Hay, leader of the council, said: "At every stage, we have committed to ensuring that the sale will bring benefit to Cheltenham, and retain the heritage of this magnificent building, which is, and will continue to be, at the very heart of our town centre."The council said it is dedicated to working alongside the bidder, towards delivery of the spa hotel.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plan for phase two of cyber park near GCHQ revealed
The second stage of a cyber security centre planned near GCHQ has been unveiled. The Golden Valley development aims to confirm Cheltenham as the UK's cyber capital. Property developer HBD and Cheltenham Borough Council unveiled the project's second phase, including the launch of the newly named "I/O Buildings", at a CyberUK conference event held earlier this month. Councillor Rowena Hay, leader at Cheltenham Borough Council, said the CyberUK event offered the "perfect opportunity" to showcase phase two of the project. The first phase of construction is the cyber park itself, which includes 1 million sq ft (93,000 sq metres) of commercial space, a car park and bus stops for services to Cheltenham Spa railway station. Work could begin by October if Cheltenham Borough Council approves two key applications, which include feedback from public consultations, this summer. The two I/O Buildings (INPUT and OUTPUT) are a key element within the second phase of Golden Valley and will provide space for leaders and innovators to work together, the Local Democracy Service reports. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire INPUT is intended to foster collaboration between education, business and government, focusing on academia, skills and talent. OUTPUT will seek to bring together industry peers to shape the future of technology. The building will create space for quiet focus and provide state-of-the-art facilities for business. Ed Hutchinson, managing director of HBD, said: "Work is due to begin on site later this year so it's great to be able to share new CGIs of the scheme, including the I/O Buildings within phase two, and bring the development to life." Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden included Golden Valley within his keynote address at the CyberUK conference. "We're already making some big investments, like the billion pounds going into the new state-of-the-art Golden Valley campus near GCHQ's Cheltenham office. "That site alone is expected to create 12,000 jobs and be home to hospitality, retail businesses and 3,700 new homes. It's all growth." Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. How will a £1bn cyber park affect locals? Cyber development to receive £20m from government Cheltenham Borough Council CyberUK HBD
BBC News
03-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Work to turn Cheltenham car park into homes under way
Work has started on a town centre car park in preparation for the construction of almost 150 new £50m Arkle Court development will replace North Place car park in Cheltenham, with Wavensmere Homes and Montane Partners commencing work on the site last 3.5 acre site will include 147 homes and apartments, landscaped open space, and the opportunity for a public art installation to be created as part of Cheltenham Paint Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said construction should take two-and-a-half years. Groundworks are scheduled to commence later in the spring, and will begin on the site's eastern boundary with North Court was designed by architects Glancy Nicholls to complement Cheltenham's Regency architecture and create a sustainable development will include 75 three-bedroom townhouses and 72 one and two-bedroom apartments, with the first home handovers scheduled to take place in the third quarter of addition to open space, there will be vehicle, pedestrian and cycle access from North Place, less than half-a-mile from the town centre. The redevelopment will connect Pittville Park to the Brewery Quarter and Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said the car park was "the blight" on its part of Cheltenham."The build programme at the moment is around two-and-a-half years," he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire."That obviously will be dependent on market conditions but so far we've had an enormous amount of interest from local people which I'm delighted about."We will be breaking ground imminently." 'Boost to the economy' Rowena Hay, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, said the site had been "underutilised as a surface car park for many years"."[The redevelopment] will revitalise the street scene, provide homes for local people, while creating jobs and giving a major boost to the economy," she materials will be used in the construction process, with solar photovoltaic panels and air sourced heat pumps included in the new will also be parking for each home with electric vehicle charging points.
