Coventry Airport closes after nearly 90 years as redevelopment plans move forward

Coventry Airport is set to close permanently this week, bringing an end to almost nine decades of aviation history as plans progress for a major battery manufacturing and technology development on the site.

All aviation activity at the airport will cease on 10 June, with the facility officially closing the following day. The final scheduled commercial arrival took place on 6 June, when members of pop group Take That flew into the airport.

The closure marks the end of a site that has played a significant role in the region’s aviation heritage. Originally established as Baginton Aerodrome, the facility served as an RAF base during the Second World War before evolving into a civilian airport that welcomed both commercial and private aircraft.

Over the years, Coventry Airport handled passenger services to destinations across Europe and became a familiar transport hub for travellers across the West Midlands. It also hosted several notable visitors, including Pope John Paul II, who arrived in Coventry by helicopter during a visit in 1982.

In more recent years, operations had become increasingly focused on private aviation and supporting the Air Ambulance Service, with commercial airline services having ceased many years earlier.

The closure will pave the way for the development of Greenpower Park, a large-scale industrial and technology hub centred around battery manufacturing and the future automotive sector. The project received planning approval in 2022 and forms part of the wider West Midlands Investment Zone strategy.

Developers and local authorities believe the scheme could generate significant economic benefits for the region, with forecasts suggesting more than 30,000 jobs could be created and up to £5.5 billion of private investment attracted over time.

The wider development is expected to include a battery gigafactory, facilities for automotive suppliers, technology and research centres, office space and supporting commercial developments.

Despite the anticipated economic gains, the airport's closure has prompted disappointment among some local residents and aviation supporters, who view the site as an important part of Coventry’s history and believe it could have retained a future role in regional aviation.

The airport's owners, the Rigby Group, confirmed that the closure process follows plans first outlined when planning permission was granted for the redevelopment project.

A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said Coventry Aerodrome had formally notified the regulator of its intention to cease operations permanently from 11 June 2026.

One organisation directly affected by the closure is the Air Ambulance Service, which has operated from the airport. However, the charity has stressed that emergency services will continue uninterrupted.

The organisation said it had worked closely with airport management and regulators to ensure its lifesaving missions could continue operating during the transition period while plans for a new dedicated base move forward.

A proposed £14 million replacement airbase in Leicestershire is currently being considered, subject to planning approval.

As redevelopment begins, Coventry Airport joins a growing list of former UK airfields being repurposed for industrial and commercial uses. While many will welcome the investment and job creation promised by Greenpower Park, the closure also marks the end of one of the West Midlands’ longest-serving aviation facilities and a significant chapter in the region’s transport history.