ASIM, jul 22
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the organization behind the Airlander, the world’s most efficient large aircraft, has announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South Yorkshire JESSICA Urban Development Fund to explore financing opportunities for their production facility at Carcroft Common, South Yorkshire. JESSICA, previously part of an EU initiative, offers development debt funding for commercial property and regeneration projects in South Yorkshire at commercial lending rates. HAV and the SY JESSICA Fund aim to boost economic growth in South Yorkshire through sustainable development, job creation, and leveraging private sector capital in partnership with the public sector.
Earlier this year, HAV selected Carcroft Common, located in the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, as the site for the Airlander 10 production programme. This facility will focus on developing, testing, and certifying Airlander 10, with a goal to scale up production to 24 aircraft annually. The site is expected to become a hub for advanced manufacturing, creating over 1,200 skilled jobs with a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £90,000, and generating export opportunities worth over £1bn annually. HAV’s decision to base its operations in South Yorkshire aligns with the region’s skills base and entrepreneurial drive, supporting the City of Doncaster’s Economic Strategy 2030 and the South Yorkshire Investment Zone’s efforts to enhance investment in advanced manufacturing.
