Successive Councills have missed the boat as far as Plymouth Airport goes in turning it into a well established and big airport. Even back as far as the end of the 2nd World War when the MOD offered Plymouth Council the chance of taking over RAF Harrowbeer at Yelverton and they refused. It is my beleif that giving SHH the lease for the airport was a good get out clause for the council because if it does shut and it wouldnt surprise me the blame would fall on SHH and the council would have a clean pair of hands blaming SHH. And after all there is more money in selling land for development than using it as a part time airfield so SHH have hit on a little gem as redevelopment is there main field of interst.