Owners of the UK's regional Plymouth City Airport are to close the loss-making facility by the end of this year.

Sutton Harbour Holdings, which also recently disposed of its regional airline Air Southwest, confirms the decision in a statement.

"Plymouth City Airport has been loss-making for a lengthy period of time and the board has concluded there is no realistic prospect of trade improving in the near future," it says.

The airport is leased from the local city council under a 150-year agreement and Sutton Harbour will retain the lease following the closure.

Air Southwest operates from Plymouth to several regional destinations in the UK and Ireland.

Sutton Harbour will instead concentrate on waterfront regeneration and its core marine-related businesses.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news