Newcastle Airport has announced plans for a proposed AirLink facility, a 620,000ft² development earmarked for land south of the runway.
The facility could create thousands of jobs and boost the North East economy by up to £165m a year, Newcastle Airport stated.
To that end, the plans include a provision for a cargo hub which could expand the Airport’s growing cargo operations and build on the 4,000 tonnes of goods currently imported and exported each year.
AirLink would be the only facility of its kind in the region and could create up to 1,000 direct jobs on the Airport site, with up to a further 900 roles supported through supply chains and business partners.
Public consultation events are also underway to update residents and businesses on the plans, while discussions with potential occupiers for the facility continue.
Private property investment and development company, Buccleuch Property, working in partnership with Argon Properties, has been selected as the Airport’s preferred developer for the project.
The Airport intends to submit a planning application in the near future.
Newcastle Airport chief corporate affairs officer, Alice Andreasen, said: “AirLink is an exciting development that would deliver major benefits for the North East – creating thousands of jobs, generating millions for the economy and unlocking more investment opportunities.
“This development would also build on the significant contribution the Airport already makes to the regional economy – it already adds more than £1bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) each year and is one of the region’s largest employers with around 3,500 people onsite and a further 17,000 roles are supported through its supply chain.
“Newcastle Airport has made a strong commitment to invest in its cargo services to meet growing demand and AirLink has the potential to transform our operations even further, strengthening the region’s position as a leading cargo gateway.”
