Coventry Airport closes 90 years, site to become GreenPower

Coventry Airport has permanently closed after nearly 90 years of operation, with its final runway operations ceasing on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The site will now be transformed into a major manufacturing hub called GreenPower Park, a joint venture between Coventry City Council and the Rigby Group, which owns the airport.

The closure marks the end of an aviation history that began in 1936 when the facility opened as Baginton Aerodrome. It served as a Royal Air Force fighter station during World War II before transitioning to commercial flights in the 1950s. In later decades, it hosted airshows, welcomed Pope John Paul II in 1982, and operated as a base for budget airline Wizz Air until passenger services ended in 2008. Recently, the airport had been used primarily by the Air Ambulance Service, private charter flights, and flight training schools. The final booked commercial flight arrived on Saturday, June 6, carrying the pop group Take That, who posed for photographs with ground crew.

The redevelopment plans, granted planning permission in 2022, envision a £2.5 billion "centre of excellence" for battery technology, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. Project officials...