Posted on 18th Oct
Newark’s world class International Air & Space Training Institute (IASTI®) has welcomed its first students, all hoping to become pilots, engineers or ground crew. The new educational facility will be the first of its kind, with military and civil aviation partners, including the Royal Air Force, East Midlands Airport and National Space Centre working collectively to get more people working in the aviation and space industries.
While the first intake of students will be housed within temporary facilities in the existing Newark college site, plans for the IASTI® Newark’s permanent home have taken another leap forward.
Plans are progressing for the provision of a permanent home for the IASTI® Newark on the site where the vacant cattle market currently stands. A deal has been agreed with a local farming consortium to take the old livestock pens from the current livestock market site to assist them in the set-up of a new facility. They continue to search for a site to host a new livestock market as part of this aspiration.
Contractors are due to start work in the coming weeks on the demolition of the current cattle market site. Initially the area will be made safe and secure with appropriate hoarding being erected, in preparation for the removal of the old cattle shed buildings. It is anticipated it will take 12 weeks to remove the buildings to prepare the site for its future.
A planning application for the IASTI® Newark facility is being prepared for submission by the Lincoln College Group in partnership with the district council. The hope is that, subject to planning permission, the new IASTI® Newark buildings will open its doors to students in September 2023.
Coun David Lloyd, co-chair of Newark Towns Fund Board and leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “IASTI® Newark will be revolutionary for the district. I’m thrilled that this centre, the first of its kind, is opening right on our doorstep. It offers a tremendous opportunity for our children and young people and it’s important to take a step back and acknowledge what an opportunity that actually is. IASTI® Newark will always be known as the first of a national network of IASTI’s® across the UK. I look forward to meeting more students walking around the town.
“While it is incredibly sad that, despite our best efforts, Newark’s Cattle Market is no longer operating, I am delighted that we have found a third party who are keen to re-open a Cattle Market locally. We will continue to work with them and assist wherever possible and direct any possible sites to them.”
Tom Marsden, director of IASTI® Newark, said: “I am delighted that IASTI® Newark is progressing so well. We are moving forward with planning permission which we hope will be approved to complete this wonderful story for the residents of Newark. I look forward to the many years of delivering professional aviation and space education and training to the youngsters of Newark and the wider region.”
For more information on the projects contained in Newark’s Town Investment Plan, visit: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.
