Chris Williams, left, and John Woodhouse, at Sandown Airport.
LANDOWNERS at Sandown Airport are celebrating after a high court judge served an injunction to stop the airport’s owners from closing the site.
The airport’s future was thrown into doubt when Wharf Land Investments (WLI), London-based development managers acting on behalf of Jersey-based owners, Sandown Isle of Wight Airport Ltd, said the running of the airport was no longer viable and it would be closed on October 1, with all flight operations immediately halted.
But the site’s landowners, John Woodhouse and Chris Williams, of Embassy Air Services, came out fighting and promised to take legal action against any attempt to stop them using the runways and taxiways.
This week, a high court judge sided with Mr Woodhouse and Mr Williams, who own the surrounding land, as well as the Specialist Flying School, and served an ex-partae high court injunction preventing the airport from being closed for the foreseeable future.
Mr Woodhouse said: "It’s absolutely brilliant the injunction has been served. We applied for the injunction because we had heard the runway was going to be ploughed so it couldn’t be used.
"We have rights on the runway and taxiway and the judge was satisfied with those rights. The airport has to be saved.
"This weekend we have got more than 100 aircraft flying in to show our solidarity. We have got some exciting plans for the future, including an event with vintage cars, stalls and a visit from a parachute team.
"We’re also getting a petition together to save the airport and would encourage people to sign it."
WLI development manager Peter Lynch said he did not wish to comment on the situation while legal proceedings were ongoing.
Reporter: jamiew@iwcpmail.co.uk