Cranfield University - home to UK's first digital air traffic control centre - welcomes talks over Marshall move
Cranfield University has welcomed its selection as one of three potential new homes for Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group.
The family-owned company announced that it was intending to move the group and its airport away from Cambridge by 2030 to enable it to grow further.
The move could unlock the potential for 12,000 homes and five million square feet of commercial space in the east of Cambridge.
Marshall has selected Duxford or Wyton in Cambridgeshire, or the fast-growing site at Cranfield in Bedfordshire, as potential new homes for the company.
Professor Sir Peter Gregson, vice-chancellor and chief executive of Cranfield University, said: “These are early-stage discussions but we are excited about this potential development on the Cranfield Air Park and look forward to having future productive discussions with Marshall.
“Located at the heart of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, Cranfield has ambitious plans for our global research airport.
"These discussions with Marshall are aligned with our approved Air Park and masterplan planning applications.
“This is an exciting time for Cranfield. Last year we were the first airport in the UK to install a digital air traffic control centre.
"We are currently developing the £67million Digital Aviation Research Technology Centre (DARTeC) which will help the UK unlock the potential of digital aviation.”
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