Construction of Cornwall Council’s flagship development at the Aerohub Business Park at Cornwall Airport Newquay has marked a major milestone towards its completion with a topping out ceremony.

The development, part of Cornwall Council’s commitment to secure 38,000 new jobs on Council land by 2030, is supported by £4.4 million of investment from the European Regional Development Fund and £3.1 million from the local authority.

The topping out ceremony, which marks having reached the highest point of the new building, saw a sapling planted to signify the milestone. Representatives from the project team, Cornwall Council and the business community gathered to mark the event.

The development, which should be completed in early 2019, will provide 1,005sq m of office space in addition to a further eight business/light industrial units totalling 1,904sq m.

It represents a landmark for the Aerohub Business Park at Cornwall Airport Newquay, from which Cornwall and Virgin Orbit will soon be launching satellites to space from the UK’s first horizontal Spaceport by 2021.

Cllr Bob Egerton, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for planning and economy, praised the strategic opportunity presented by the Plot 2 development for businesses and the wider economy of Cornwall:

“It offers businesses high-quality accommodation, in a strategic location close to Newquay, the A30, Cornwall Airport Newquay and the Council’s future Spaceport,” he said.

“It will act as a catalyst for investment and jobs across the whole Aerohub Business Park and beyond.”

Mark Duddridge, chair of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), added: “Having driven the successful bid for the Enterprise Zone here the LEP is thrilled to see the first phase of the Aerohub Business Park progressing.

“This combination of office and industrial workspace promises to be the beginnings of a vibrant community of businesses which will be given a boost by the additional benefits that locating within the Enterprise Zone can offer.”