The first phase of plans to unlock the economic potential of Norwich International airport have been given the go-ahead and could be set to create 150 jobs.
It is the first step in a dream of airport bosses to create Norwich Aeropark over the next decade, which could eventually create over 2,200 jobs and put Norwich at the forefront of the aviation industry.
The importance of the planning application was underlined by the rare unification of the planning committees of Norwich City Council and Broadland District Council for the decision.
The two committees combined their meetings at Broadland's Thorpe Lodge headquarters in Yarmouth Road yesterday, with both unanimously approving the plans, which straddle the boundaries of the two authorities.
As previously reported, the airport has teamed up with Cambridge-based commercial property specialists Wrenbridge to form a joint venture company tasked with developing an 850,000sq ft site for hangar and office space, an area equal to nearly a third of the size of the Norfolk Showground.
The land is on the northern apron of the airport, to the north-east of the main runway, with the first phase led by aircraft repainting company Air Livery.
Detailed planning permission for that part of the plans, representing 160,000sq ft of the site, has now been granted, including for an access road connecting to the A140 roundabout.
It will see Air Livery consolidate its UK business in Norwich, with five 17-metre tall units to be built and 150 jobs created.
Currently, Air Livery, owned by Indian company Air Works, has three units at Norwich and single bays at Southend and East Midlands airports, but will in future have five new-build units in Norwich. The Air Livery base will increase the airports flight traffic by 10pc, with 250 planes being flown in and out every year.
The decision also grants outline planning permission for the development of the entire 850,000sq ft site into the Norwich Aeropark, which could create between 990 and 2,230 jobs.
That phase now waits on a decision on the northern distributor road, which would have a roundabout providing full access to the aeropark.
- For more about the Norwich Aeropark plans, see the link at the top-right of this page.
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