DUXFORD DEAL IS RUN-A-WAY SUCCESS

Cambridgeshire County Council’s long-standing relationship with the Imperial War Museum at Duxford took further flight yesterday (October 7) when Councillors agreed to sell the runway to the national and internationally renowned museum.

A meeting of the County Council’s Cabinet agreed plans to sell 146 acres of land to the Museum for around £1.6 million. The land comprises the grassland to the south of the main hangars/exhibition areas and the hard runway used for takeoff and landing.

The land was transferred to the County Council by the Secretary of State for Defence in 1977, but it has now been declared surplus to the Council’s requirements and sold to the Imperial War Museum, with a first-refusal buy back option should the land be offered for sale again in the future.

County Council Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “The County Council has always enjoyed a very positive and close working relationship with the Imperial War Museum, which is a magnificent resource for Cambridgeshire and also an excellent centre for teaching youngsters in our schools the history of aviation as well as science and technology.

“This area of land is no longer needed by the County Council and we are delighted to have reached an agreement to sell the grassland and runway to the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, at Duxford.”

Richard Ashton, Director of IWM Duxford, added: “This is an important and historically significant achievement for the Museum. By gaining ownership of the runways and the land around them the IWM has ensured the preservation for future generations of the historic airfield, its heritage and landmark buildings and the wonderful landscape context it is set in. I am grateful for the support shown by Cambridgeshire County Council in bringing this transfer of ownership to fruition. It can only serve to strengthen Duxford’s reputation as the leading centre of heritage aviation in the world.”

Duxford County Councillor Tim Stone, who supported the deal, spoke in favour of the land sale during the Cabinet discussion.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

For further information, contact: Glenn Thwaites in the Press and Public Relations Office on (01223) 699282 or Christian Pratt (at the IWM) on (01223) 499319.

Political contacts: Councillor John Reynolds 07720 379699; Councillor Tim Stone (01223) 836527; Labour spokesman Councillor Martin Ballard (01223) 562737.

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