British aircraft manufacturer, Britten-Norman, is strengthening its presence at Solent Airport in the UK, having agreed a new 15-year lease of its civil aircraft manufacturing and maintenance facilities. The signing of the new lease signals a period of growth for Britten-Norman and includes the extension of its lease for its third purpose-built hangar, which is part of Fareham Borough Council’s newly established aviation park.
Open seven days a week, Solent Airport is a gateway to the region’s diverse range of thriving economic hubs, including the Daedalus – Solent Enterprise Zone, while London is a 20 minute helicopter transfer away. Since moving its airside operations to the airport in 2010, Britten-Norman has invested more than £20 million into the local community and created in excess of 100 job opportunities. The company has also purchased nine aircraft from the UK Ministry of Defence to repurpose and reinvent for the civilian market.
“The signing of the new lease signals a period of growth, innovation and further success across its 34,000 sq. ft. stronghold at Solent Airport,” read a statement from Britten-Norman.
Despite its strengthened presence at Solent and its global footprint spanning across Europe and North America, Britten-Norman proudly maintains its presence at its ancestral home base at the Isle of Wight’s Bembridge Airport.
