Councillors to face questions on future of Cornwall's Aviation Heritage Centre
A petition to save the site near Newquay has been signed by thousands
Last updated 21st Sep 2022
Supporters of an aviation heritage centre, which says it is being forced to close by Cornwall Council, will have the chance to ask questions of councillors.
A meeting of full council at New County Hall in Truro will see members of the public take the opportunity to quiz councillors about the future of Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre.
Earlier this month, the centre announced that they expect they will have to close after Cornwall Council gave notice of ending the lease on their current home on land at Newquay Airport.
Centre bosses also claim that the council has not delivered on promises to help find them a new site if they have to leave the airport.
Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC) is home to a number of former aircraft which have been lovingly restored and maintained by volunteers who work at the centre. It also holds educational visits and hosts students from local colleges for training and experience.
Cornwall Council has said that the attraction had no right of renewal when its lease ended at the end of 2021 but that the council had agreed to allow that to extend for another 12 months so that it could find a new home.
However, the possible closure of the attraction has prompted a strong reaction from supporters and more than 18,000 people have signed a petition to try and save the centre, which has previously received a TripAdvisor award.
At Wednesday's full council meeting, members of the public and councillors will have the opportunity to ask questions about what is happening with the heritage centre. Five public questions on the agenda concern the under-threat centre.
How can Cornwall Council justify 'forced closure'
Mr Raymer from Trispen will ask: "Please will the council explain why it does not consider it worthwhile for the council to permit and encourage the continuation and development of the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre so that it can continue to attract an ever-growing portion of that 2.5 million person audience to Cornwall?”
Mrs Breeze from Truro takes a different approach and asks about the council's plans for the Aerohub at the airport which is an enterprise zone.
She asks: "Please will Cornwall Council explain what the development plans are for the Aerohub 2 area and why they justify the removal of an established, successful heritage and education operation which provides unique and extensive aerospace education facilities and itself wants to develop and grow within a business enterprise zone?”
Mrs Watkins from St Austell will ask: "The Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre provides STEM and aerospace education resources to primary, secondary schools and colleges in Cornwall. Please will the Council tell us why the CAHC is not a significant asset to the education of future generations and an organisation that should be within the Airport estate?”
And Mr Pengelly from Saltash is set to ask: "Please will Cornwall Council explain why it has not responded for 11 months to the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre’s repeated requests to discuss the relocation proposals that they submitted at Cornwall Council’s request and no Council representative responded to their requests to visit their site to learn about their operation?”
The full council meeting will take place in the council chamber at New County Hall in Truro on Wednesday 21st September at 10.30am and will be livestreamed on the council website.
It will also hear a motion for Cornwall Council to back a campaign for a national ban on sky lanterns and a motion for the new Duke of Cornwall to address the council.