THE Welsh Government will hand over control of St Athan airfield to a civilian contractor this December in a move to further boost enterprise possibilities at the site.
As of December 15, operating hours at the airfield will be 9am to 5pm seven days a week, with civilian contractor Serco taking over the running of the site to cater for “the exacting demands of the diverse and growing client base operating from St Athan”.
Businesses currently operating at the St Athan Park and Enterprise Zone - which will also be the base for the new Search and Rescue unit - include Horizon Aircraft Services Ltd, Dragon Aircraft Engineering, eCube Solutions and Cardiff Aviation Ltd.
Economy Minister Edwina Hart said that handing over management to Serco was a step towards making the Enterprise Zone even more attractive to potential future tenants.
“This is an important step which will provide far more flexibility for tenants and make the Park and Enterprise Zone even more attractive for businesses looking to locate here, she said.
“We want the Enterprise Zone to be an on-going success and I am pleased we have been able to respond to the needs of businesses operating on the Park and ensure they have the environment and infrastructure for growth.”
Twenty eight jobs are expected to be created at the site, including some which will be taken up by ex-RAF servicemen.
The transition of airfield operations to Serco will involve a period of dual operations which will end on Monday, December 15 when the last military controllers hand over operational responsibilities to Serco.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here