"Desperate" appeal to save Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre

The Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC) has issued a "desperate" plea to Cornwall Council, to stop the site from being "lost forever".

The local authority has terminated the museum's lease, which means it will close its doors to the public from Tuesday 1 November.

CAHC say the demolition of rare, heritage British aircraft will begin soon afterward.

The centre has been a tenant at Cornwall Airport Newquay since 2015.

In a statement the council says its main focus is "creating economic and employment opportunities at the airport": "Cornwall Airport Newquay is an operational airport which is vital to the region's connectivity to the UK.

"It is currently subsidised by the Cornish taxpayer and Cornwall Council is committed to develop the airport in a way which minimises this subsidy and continues to develop the site as a key part of Cornwall’s transport and business infrastructure.

"As part of this work, the council is reviewing the use of the land at the airport site to ensure the taxpayer is getting the maximum value for money from it and to increase the economic benefit and professional employment opportunities for Cornwall.

"Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC) has been a tenant at Newquay Airport since 2015. They signed a disclaimer at that point acknowledging there was no right of renewal when its lease expired in 2021. However, in order to assist the centre to find a new site, the Council extended the lease by a further 12 months.

"Cornwall Council and Cornwall Airport Newquay are not responsible for the operation of a private business and securing a site on which to operate is the responsibility of the management of the centre.

"Cornwall Council has made it clear to CAHC that we will consider assisting them to move to a new location when a credible, costed and deliverable proposal has been developed. However, this remains the responsibility of the centre."

A petition to save the Aviation Heritage Centre has been signed more than 26,000 times.

CAHC are urging the council to reconsider their decision, citing the following reasons:

• The powerful educational synergy generated by convenient proximity to Cornwall Spaceport
• The huge heritage value of the location adjacent to RAF St Mawgan and its period structures
• The productive utilisation of estate land and/or structures that have historically been difficult to capitalise upon to generate substantial, dependable income for the airport
• The unique resource for inspiring and training young Cornish people for promising aerospace careers, demonstrable by a proven track record of success, all at the location where their future aerospace jobs may well be found, at no cost to the County
• The utility of conveniently situated training resources for Airport, MoD and aerospace industry personnel
• The strong tourism value to Cornwall of the sole aviation/aerospace dedicated visitor centre in the tri-County region, with powerful shoulder-month performance and unequalled industry benchmark recognition
• The prestige that Cornwall and Cornwall Airport Newquay will enjoy from the presence of a national quality aerospace museum and education hub to be developed through the multiple funding streams that will ensue, following establishment of secure tenancy

Richard Spencer-Breeze is the co-founder and co-director of CAHC. He says they want the council to realise the "massive value" their organisation offers to Cornwall:

"Unlike most aircraft museums, we allow people to get into our aircraft, which adds a whole new dimension to the experience. Sitting in the pilot seats or in the crew stations.

"Relocating a 150ft, 80 tonnes, refuelling tanker down the A30 is not going to happen. You can't roll these aeroplanes down the road. So anywhere that we move to, is somewhere that we have to be able to tow these aircraft to."

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.