The future of Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) looks bleak, as its major shareholder; Peel Airports decides to sell up. Peel Airports owns 75 per cent of the commercial property, whilst six local authorities own the remaining 25 per cent of the airport.
The commercial property in County Durham will continue to operate as normal over the next few weeks, which means passengers should expect to receive normal service.
Speaking of the airport, Doris Jones, Middleton-St-George Councillor expressed: “People want to see a vibrant and successful airport and will be worried that it could become an industrial estate or even housing. We need urgent assurances that this is not going to happen.”
“What happens to this airport has a significant impact in Middleton-St-George, we need to ensure things are handled in the right way to protect residents and the economy in this part of the region,” Ms Jones added.
But the Prime Minister, David Cameron had a more strategic view: “The key thing about the future of Durham Tees Valley Airport, which is a vital airport, is not necessarily who owns it, but is it being invested in? Is it being expanded? Is it working well? That is the key question.”
DTVA has been operating commercial flights since the 1960’s. Prior to that, the airport was used as an airfield by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the World War II. However, during the last financial year (2010-11), the airport has reported a £2 million loss. Although the figure shows a substantial loss in profits, would the loss of the whole airport be more catastrophic for the local economy?
James Wharton, a Conservative Member of Parliament for Stockton South believes that if a sale for the airport cannot be met, the loss of the airport in terms of economic factors could prove difficult for the area. As a sale during today’s tough economic climate could potentially be difficult to find, Mr Wharton has contacted Theresa Villiers, the Transport Minister to try and secure the airport’s future.
Speaking of the meeting with Ms Villiers, Mr Wharton stated: “I have explained to Theresa Villiers the importance of Teesside airport to our sub-regional economy and my concerns about any sale that could eventually lead to closure. She, and the Department for Transport, are now aware of the situation and will be following matters closely.”
“It is time for new investment and for the future success of this important facility to be taken seriously,” Mr Wharton added.
Do you think that County Durham will suffer if the airport is forced to close? Or do you think the area will bounce back, like Sheffield did when the airport closed in 2008 and was turned into an industrial estate?
