Coventry Airport closes after 90 years for battery hub

90 years of flying history ended at Coventry Airport as the Baginton site closed permanently on 11 June 2026. The last booked commercial arrival carried Take That into the airport after their Circus Live tour stop, turning a local transport milestone into an unexpectedly pop-cultural farewell. The closure clears the way for Greenpower Park, a major battery, clean-energy and advanced manufacturing development backed by Coventry City Council and the Rigby Group.

The Bottom Line

• Coventry Airport formally closed on 11 June 2026 after opening as Baginton Aerodrome in 1936.
• The final booked commercial arrival was Take That, who flew in for shows at Coventry's CBS Arena.
• The site is being redeveloped as Greenpower Park, a battery and clean-energy manufacturing hub.
• The project is described as a £2.5bn scheme with potential to create around 6,000 jobs at the site.
• The Air Ambulance Service says its lifesaving missions will continue during the transition.

Breaking It Down

Coventry Airport began life as Baginton Aerodrome in 1936 and later served as RAF Baginton during the Second World War. Across nine decades, the site handled military aviation, freight, training, private aircraft, air ambulance work and periods of passenger travel. Pope John Paul II landed there by helicopter in 1982 during his UK visit, an event still remembered as one of the airport's most visible moments.

Commercial passenger flights had already faded from the airport's daily life. Thomsonfly and Wizz Air operated services in the 2000s, including flights to Poland, and passenger flights from the Baginton site ceased in 2008. In recent years, the airport was used mainly for private aviation, pilot training and air ambulance operations rather than scheduled holidays.

The final commercial arrival gave the closing days an unusual twist. According to the airport's own Facebook post quoted by several outlets, Take That discovered they were the last booked commercial passengers and asked for a photograph with the ground crew. Airport staff marked the moment with humour, saying they had made an exception for the band on a historic occasion.

The land now moves into a different chapter. Greenpower Park has planning permission for up to seven manufacturing facilities, with work due to begin on 12 June. A new electrical substation, funded by a £23m West Midlands Combined Authority grant, is also being installed to provide a dedicated renewable power supply for future occupiers.

Why This Matters

For Coventry and Warwickshire, the closure is not just about losing a runway. It is a choice between preserving an aviation asset and using a large strategic site for the region's shift towards electric vehicles, batteries and clean-energy manufacturing. The wider West Midlands Investment Zone is intended to support manufacturing across Coventry and Warwick Gigapark, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor.

The closure of the airport is a major milestone as we transition the site to a major manufacturing hub, with the potential to generate around 6,000 jobs.

That promise has not removed local anxiety. BBC reporting from Baginton captured residents who fear the village will lose its quieter character as industrial units move closer. Alison Green, who grew up beside the airfield, summed up the emotional cost simply: "I think it's sad."

The decision also matters beyond Coventry. Britain's car industry is under pressure to build more of its battery supply chain at home, and large manufacturing sites with power infrastructure are central to that shift. For people in the West Midlands, the practical question is whether the jobs and investment arrive quickly enough to outweigh the loss of an airport that still carried deep local meaning.

What Comes Next

Site preparation begins on 12 June, including infrastructure and environmental mitigation works. Greenpower Park says the decommissioning of runway operations paves the way for manufacturing facilities linked to battery technology, advanced manufacturing and clean energy.

The Air Ambulance Service says emergency missions will continue from Coventry during the transition. A proposed £14m replacement airbase in Catthorpe, Leicestershire, is being considered, subject to planning permission.