Waterford Airport is planning a major runway expansion after securing a major private investment.
The €12m investment from Comer Group International in partnership with Bolster Group will pay for half the proposed plan.
The airport is now asking for an Exchequer investment to match the private funds and greenlight the €25 million runway expansion plan.
It comes seven years after the airport saw the departure of its last commercial flight.
Runway
A 150-metre extension to the runway was planned a decade ago but ultimately came to nothing.
Planning permission was last year approved for a 854-metre extension to the runway, which would take it to a total length of 2,287 metres.
The plan would also see the runway widened from 30 metres to 45 metres.
Today’s funding announcement clears the way for a business plan seeking matching funding from the Government to submitted next week.
Waterford Airport
Waterford Senator John Cummins said he expected the plan would be “very well received by Government”.
“I have always believed in the ability of Waterford Airport to offer the essential direct connectivity to the region that we require to grow our business and tourism offering,” he said.
“The runway expansion project ticks a huge number of boxes and would undoubtedly drive the propulsive growth envisaged for Waterford in the National Planning Framework”.
Senator Cummins is a former member of the Waterford Airport Board.
Main image shows Waterford Airport. Image: Nigel FRANCIS / Alamy
