Airport revamp crisis talks to take place
- Published: 09 July 2008 14:36
- Author: Andrea Klettner
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- Last Updated: 09 July 2008 14:51
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Crisis talks aimed at salvaging a £35 million transformation of Carlisle Airport will take place on Monday.
Boss of logistics firm Stobart Andrew Tinkler, who withdrew his plan to create a passenger and freight hub there, will meet politicians and regeneration chiefs in a bid to reignite the scheme.
The firm wants to build a new runway, terminal, hangars, warehousing and offices at the Irthington site and move its entire Cumbrian haulage operation there.
Mr Tinkler pulled the plug on the project after the Government Office for the North West ruled a public inquiry was needed before it could go ahead.
The year's delay that would incur due to this setback would mean his February 2009 deadline for the Stobart haulage business to move to the site would be missed.
Mr Tinkler has stressed from the start of the scheme that Stobart switching to the airfield is vital to the viability of the whole scheme.
Next Monday he will meet with Cumbria County Council, Carlisle City Council, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Cumbria Vision and others with a view to resubmitting a plan which would avoid a public inquiry.
Mr Tinkler has been told by the Government that he must withdraw the application in order to find out why it was "called in".
The Government will only say it has called a public inquiry because the decision is of "greater than local importance".
Carlisle Labour MP Eric Martlew said: "I'm disappointed that the decision has been taken to withdraw this application. I understand why it has and I will be talking to Andrew Tinkler and Government Office North West because I believe there will be another application going in and we have got to try and ensure that this one does not require a public inquiry."
