Perranporth Airfield - Savills

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A licensed private/business airfield, built as a WW2 Spitfire station, in a prime tourist area occupying a spectacular cliff-top location. Newquay 10 miles • Truro 11 miles • Falmouth 19 miles Exeter 89 miles (all distances are approximate) n n n n n n n About 135.1 hectares (333.8 acres) Three tarmac runways WW2 control tower/clubhouse 1,951 sq m (21,000 sq ft) hangar Fire station Site for maintenance and safety building Various remaining underground WW2 structures and dispersal pens Perranporth Airfield (EGTP)
Introduction Perranporth Airfield is situated on a spectacular cliff-top location to the west of the seaside village of Perranporth on the north Cornish coast. The airfield is a well-established enterprise and includes an extensive hangar and maintenance facilities, two licensed and one unlicensed tarmac runways, airfield control tower/clubhouse, fire station and fuel storage facilities. The airfield is currently operated by Perranporth Flying Club Limited and their website is www.perranporthflyingclub.co.uk. History Built as Royal Air Force Perranporth and opened in April 1941, the airfield occupied an area formed from an existing explosives and munitions factory and farmland. To build the airfield at least two mines were closed down; the tunnels were later used in the war for explosives storage. Designed and first used as a Spitfire base for the defence of coastal towns and inshore shipping protection, the station hosted 18 Squadrons at various times throughout the war. While the RAF were well represented, Perranporth also saw flyers from the Czech, Polish, Free French and the Commonwealth before, in April 1944, the Fleet Air Arm took over to use the field on antishipping raids across the Channel. When the airfield was decommissioned the majority of the buildings were razed and much of the land returned to agriculture. The airfield was then used by the few people able to fly privately in the post-war period. The Cornish Gliding and Flying Club has been active at the airfield since 1957. Many of the bases of the wartime buildings are still visible and the heritage of one of the most complete fighter stations in the country has been assured now that a number of Scheduled Monuments are located on the property. The remaining structures include the double aircraft blast pens, air raid shelters, the underground battle HQ and a night sleeping shelter.
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Perranporth Airfield - Savills

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