MORE than £31m of investment and growth in the Isles of Scilly remains dependent on Penzance Heliport, despite a helicopter service now operating from Land’s End.

Ten of the Isles of Scilly’s largest businesses have repeated that planned future investments are reliant on the enhancements to resilience, accessibility and capacity that Penzance Heliport will deliver. The planned investments would create 97 new jobs on the islands.

Robert Dorrien-Smith, from Penzance Heliport said: “It is testament to the importance of this project to the whole of the Isles of Scilly that these varied businesses, from across the islands and across different sectors, still stand behind Penzance Heliport.”

Ongoing support for Penzance Heliport has been confirmed by Karma Group, Tregarthens Hotel, Tresco Estate, Star Castle Hotel, the Duchy of Cornwall, Garrison Holidays, Scilly Self Catering, St Mary’s Hall Hotel, Sibleys Fuel and Marine, and St Austell Brewery, which owns a hotel and two pubs on St Mary’s.

Penzance Heliport will reinstate helicopter flights to the Isles of Scilly from Penzance, serving the islands of St Mary’s and Tresco, with flights anticipated to begin in 2019.

The Penzance Heliport service will fly to both Tresco and St Mary’s, and will enhance travel choice, accessibility and resilience to the Isles of Scilly.

Chris Diplock, Vice President of Karma Group, which owns Karma St Martin’s, and plans to invest £5 million on the islands, creating 20 full time jobs, said: “Penzance has better road and rail infrastructure, hotels and restaurants and is altogether more satisfactory as a transport hub, which will facilitate growth.

"Unless permission is granted for a proper helicopter service based in Penzance, we will seriously consider our plans for expansion and investment.”

The Council of the Isles of Scilly last week resolved to write to Cornwall Council in support of a heliport located in Penzance to serve the islands.

Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee will consider the amended application for Penzance Heliport on Thursday, June 28.

The committee unanimously supported the application in February 2017, citing the benefits for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, but was subject to a Judicial Review by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company.