West Midlands airport closes after 90 years ahead of 'gigapark' transformation
A West Midlands airport closes for good.
A West Midlands airport has officially closed for good after 90 years in operation.
Coventry Airport ceased operations on Thursday (June 11) to make way for a new ‘gigapark’ development.
The Civil Aviation Authority had confirmed back in December that Coventry Airport would permanently cease its operations on Thursday.
At the time of its closure the airport, which is three miles from Coventry, did not serve commercial flights, hosting only private charter flights as well as air ambulance aircraft.
The Rigby Group and Coventry City Council are behind plans to build a “£2.5bn centre of excellence for battery technology, advanced manufacturing and clean energy innovation” on the site.
The gigafactory project, GreenPower Park, received planning permission back in 2022.
The project website said the renewable-powered facility will “set the standard for green manufacturing” and “has the potential to create 6,000 jobs”.
Coventry Airport first opened in 1936 under the name Baginton Aerodome. It played a pivotal role in the region during the Second World War, as a key Royal Air Force fighter station. The airport was damaged in a bombing raid in 1940.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.