Helicopter crisis should force policy rethink

Commenting on the news that British International Helicopters (who run the lifeline air link to the Isles of Scilly) have withdrawn their planning application for the creation of a heliport at St Erth, local MP Andrew George has vowed that he will seek a rethink of the policy approach to the issue of air links to the isles of Scilly.

The decisions taken about the existing heliport site and the process of seeking an alternative are matters for Cornwall Council, not Parliament. But Mr George expressed disappointment that the Council had already taken its decision to effectively close the existing heliport site before they had secured an alternative.

Mr George said:

“The helicopter service is essential to the islands. The handling of recent decisions has put this in jeopardy.

“If the object was to secure the future of the helicopter service then making BIH homeless before finding them a new home is a strange way of going about it.

“Penzance has been left with the worst of both worlds. The effective ending of the helicopter service and the building of yet another out of town supermarket; the combined influence of both will be devastating to the town. The helicopter service brings £millions in to the town. Another supermarket will suck the life blood out of it.”