Following the news that the airport land owned by Marshall has been identified for redevelopment in the Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options, the company has confirmed that plans to relocate its Aerospace and Defence businesses by 2030 remain firmly on track.
Having announced its relocation plans in May 2019, initially shortlisting locations at Cranfield, Duxford and RAF Wyton as potential new homes, the team at Marshall has subsequently completed extensive due diligence on all three locations.
As a result, both Duxford and, more recently RAF Wyton have been ruled out, however Cranfield does remain a viable and practical option that the company is continuing to pursue.
Marshall CEO Kathy Jenkins explains: “Whilst we are disappointed that we haven’t been able to make either Duxford or Wyton work for us we believe, given the obvious synergies between our Aerospace business and Cranfield, that it is a very compelling option.
“As such, we will shortly begin the process of preparing an outline planning application, with submission planned in Autumn 2022 in order give us further confidence that we have a deliverable site should we wish to relocate to Cranfield.
“However, like so many businesses, Covid-19 has changed a lot of things for us and this, coupled with recent announcements in relation to the early withdrawal of the RAF’s C-130 fleet, means we are not yet in a position to make a final decision about a choice of new home for our Aerospace or Land Systems businesses.
“Naturally, given the exciting news that the airport land has been included in the Local Plan Preferred Options, our priority now is to confirm definitive relocation plans as soon as we are practicably able and we look forward to making further announcements in due course.”