Carlisle City Council has received an approach on behalf of an unnamed buyer said to be prepared to pay up to £4 million for the freehold to Carlisle Airport.
The Crosby-on-Eden airfield is leased to Stobart Group for a nominal rent. The lease has 141 years to run.
Anyone who bought the freehold could attempt to revoke the lease to gain possession, subject to payment of compensation to Stobarts.
A council spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that it has received an approach.
It came from aviation consultant Peter Elliott who has been embroiled in a long-running legal battle with Stobart Group and its chief executive Andrew Tinkler.
Mr Elliott claims to be acting on behalf of an anonymous would-be buyer.
He said: “We have put a formal bid on the table for £4m to buy the freehold.
“If it succeeds, the people of Irthington would have a share in the airport.
“All the tenant farmers [who have grazing rights on airfield land] would have retained rights and an opportunity to buy the freehold. We are not going to go into detail [about plans] but we will give an undertaking that the airport will continue to function at least until 2025.
“There will be development for a project which will have very significant tourism and environmental value.”
It is understood the offer would give the council £2m immediately plus another £2m if the buyer obtained planning consent for development.
Mr Elliott wrote to Mark Lambert, the council’s assistant director – governance, this week suggesting that the authority invites formal bids for the freehold or auctions it on the open market.
The council has yet to respond.
News of the approach is the latest twist in the long-running airport saga.
Stobart Group’s plans to build offices and warehousing suffered a setback last week when the Court of Appeal overturned planning permission for the £25m scheme.
Lord Justice Sullivan upheld a challenge from Irthington farmer Gordon Brown who argued the city council had failed to assess the environmental impact of Stobart’s proposal.
After hearing about the offer yesterday, Mr Tinkler said: “I would imagine that the city council would have to look at the benefit any decision they make will bring to the people of Carlisle.
“They’d also have to consider what it means to them to keep Stobarts in Cumbria, creating employment.”
