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Your City! Developing the vision updates

Changes ahead for City of Derry Airport

Story added 28 October 2009

Chairman of Derry City Council's Airport Committee, Colum Eastwood, says the recent decision to introduce private sector involvement in the running of City of Derry Airport is designed to secure the airport's future. The ultimate objective is to ensure that the airport remains an economic driver for the region while substantially reducing the annual costs it places on the ratepayer, he explains.

"Derry City Council has run the airport for 30 years and has established it as a vital piece of local infrastructure that supports employment and underpins economic activity in tourism and investment. We’re trying to ensure the airport continues to operate in a more commercial way, providing opportunities for growth and increased economic benefit. The airport is a valuable regional asset in terms of driving the economy. We want to safeguard its long term future and have it cost less to local people. We have a very strong business plan and within five years we would like to see the airport turning a profit. Airports will always require significant annual capital investment and the only way to succeed and bring the business plan to fruition is with greater private sector involvement".

Cllr Eastwood also stressed that, not only will the changes help secure employment for the current work force, they could also result in an increase in the number of people working at the airport in years to come.

"We've safeguarded existing jobs and want to grow the airport as a business and create more employment for the region," he said. Having spent a lengthy period consulting with all the relevant industry experts, Cllr Eastwood believes the time is right for the governance reform programme to be put into practice to give the region the top class airport facility at a price it can afford.

"It's been a long, considered process, we've taken the best advice possible. We’ve now reached the stage where it's important to start making decisions. People want an airport, they want improved service and they want it to cost less. Council's decisions regarding governance reform and seeking private investment are aimed at delivering on those objectives".

www.derrycity.gov.uk/airport

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