A major facelift at West Wales Airport that’s been in the pipeline for more than 10 years looks likely to be given more time for completion.

Full planning permission for a new airport infrastructure including terminal building, two hangers, fire station, fuel storage, new vehicular access and parking with associated hotel and technical training centre, hydro-break, underground surface water facility were first approved in 2008.

The site to the south of the existing West Wales Airport in Blaenannerch has since been brought back to the planning table on a number of occasions with variations made to conditions and the time limit on commencing works was extended in 2013.

The plan aims to create 500 high quality jobs and contribute up to £25m per year to the local economy within the next 10 years.

Nothing has been built on the site and the current permission expired earlier this year.

Ceredigion County Council’s development committee is recommended to approve a further five-year extension on the application at its meeting on Wednesday (June 13).

The significant dip in global markets in 2008 have been blamed for the initial delay with general aviation reducing by 40 per cent by the end of 2009 according to a report to the committee.

By 2013 the company’s fortune was improving with increasing Ministry of Defence contracts in place and a further £2m investment was made in the installation of a radar facility during 2016/17.

A further ten people were employed but a downturn in the defence budget later impacted the company.

In a statement supporting a further extension to the permission West Wales Airport says it has maintained its lead position in European unmanned aviation and there are clear signs of recovery in the sector.

It adds: “With an already extended runway, full air traffic control and radar coverage, WWA is already capable of performing as a regional airport. The development proposed under the current planning permission is designed to further enhance this capability.

“It has always been clearly communicated that this development can only take

place when the demand for it has reached an optimum level. This level is now fast approaching, as the company and its customers are already utilising all of the accommodation on WWA and more than 70 per cent of the space on Parc Aberporth.

“With the recent signing of a new five-year contract with Thales UK worth more than £7.5m, it is expected to consume the full 100 per cent within 18 months. ”