Stobart close to starting at Carlisle Airport

Logistics giant Stobart is expected to name the contractor that will deliver the expansion of Carlisle Airport with a view to starting on site in the next month.

Chief executive Andrew Tinkler said the construction companies bidding for the work include local firms Story Construction and Border Construction, with plans to complete the scheme by spring 2010.

Stobart resubmitted revised plans for a scaled down project after the initial approved application was called in for a public inquiry. Planning consent was granted on the reduced plans in March this year.

A spokesman for Carlisle Airport said: "The way the proposals were done meant the reduced plans did not need to be called in by Government for an inquiry."

Stobart plans to move its headquarters to the airport site from elsewhere in the city as well as creating freight warehouses and building a new passenger terminal to match increased services.