Cornwall

Proposed Closure of Penzance Heliport

Shortly before Christmas, a television news report surprised the community by announcing the intention to close Penzance Heliport and relocate the helicopter service to the Isles of Scilly from Land's End Aerodrome near St Just. 

As I understand it, the heliport was originally moved to Penzance from St Just aerodrome because fog was a regular occurrence at St Just.  It does seem strange that the operating company now wants to move the heliport back to St Just as (a) the fog still occurs and (b) it will create more road journeys (and increase carbon emissions).  The present Penzance heliport is conveniently situated to the main line railway station in Penzance, as well as to the Scillonian ferry terminal.  If the closure is due to a developer's offer that can't be refused by the present land owner, then it is very obvious that any open land is in danger of being sacrificed just for profit.  CPRE Cornwall would vigorously oppose any plan to close the present heliport and relocate the service at St Just.

An opposition group has already been set up at St Just to fight the proposal.  Known as the Land's End Aerodrome Action Group (LEAAG), it has already met to agree its objective, which is to prevent the relocation of British International Helicopters (BIH) to Land's End Aerodrome and stop the environmental, ecological, economic and residential damage that such a move would cause.   A further meeting of LEAAG is to be held on Sunday, 25th January at 2.30 pm at the Methodist Chapel in St Just.  The group is concerned over the timing of the proposal, as it coincides with the impending change from district councils to a unitary authority for the whole of Cornwall.  Furthermore, there is anxiety that the Land's End aerodrome might benefit from permitted development rights.  Such rights give airport operators the right to construct aprons and operational buildings, subject to size limitations, without planning permission.  These permitted development rights were originally intended to allow large international airports to make urgent improvements to operations or lighting, but apparently these regulations now permit smaller airports and airfields to benefit.  However, the Land's End aerodrome lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is very close to the Heritage Coast and the South West Coast Path.   CPRE Cornwall would vigorously oppose any development that would harm the AONB and the Heritage Coast, and spoil the attraction of the coastal path.

At the present time a planning application has not been lodged with any local authority.  It has also been rumoured that the planned move might be delayed for a year.  The main purpose of this alert is to bring the proposal to the attention of CPRE members, as well as the general public, and to urge everyone to be vigilant.

Those wishing to join the opposition group - LEAAG - should contact Caroline Passingham by either telephoning her on (01-736) 787 280, or sending an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ted Venn

15^th January 2009

Land's End Aerodrome Action Group (LEAAG) operate their own website, and this can be accessed using: http://www.leaag-group.blogspot.com/

Ted Venn

2^nd February 2009