Chief Reporter
Major expansion of a flight training centre at Newquay Cornwall Airport will be of "immense value" to the wider economy, business leaders have said.
Aerospace manufacturer AgustaWestland has been awarded a share in the £72 million Regional Growth Fund package announced for the Westcountry.
In addition to the Yeovil-based firm's projects to develop a hybrid helicopter and aeroplane and create a civil helicopter capability, it is also planning significant expansion of its operational flight training centre at Newquay.
The development has been widely welcomed in Cornwall, bolstering the Aerohub enterprise zone at the airport as well as promising highly skilled, new jobs.
Chris Pomfret, chairman of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "AgustaWestland is a global company and their commitment to expand in Cornwall illustrates the value of aerospace and underlines our enterprise zone vision, for creating an aerospace cluster at Newquay Cornwall Airport.
"The additional high-value jobs which will be created by AgustaWestland, and the associated benefits, will be of immense value to the whole economy.
"The local partnership's objective with Aerohub is all about creating well-paid, skilled jobs and this announcement will certainly help our aspirations of achieving this."
Business leaders have high hopes for the Aerohub, with aims to create up to 2,500 high-value permanent jobs.
