Advisers from the Bristol office of accountancy group Smith & Williamson have helped one of the UK’s fastest-growing business aviation centres secure a £15m expansion package in a deal that underlines the city’s growing importance as a finance centre.
London Biggin Hill Airport is using the funding from HSBC to build an additional 140,000 sq ft office, hangar and business aircraft parking facility and a 50-bed, four-star hotel. 
The development will meet growing demand for visiting aircraft and improve access to the airport’s 65 world-class aviation and aerospace businesses, which in total employ more than 1,000 people.
Canadian transportation giant Bombardier last year announced it was to open a business aircraft service centre at the airport, which is on the border of South East London and Kent just 12 miles from capital’s centre.
Smith & Williamson’s Bristol-based corporate finance team has a longstanding relationship with the historic airport and introduced HSBC to its owners.
Partner Iain Lownes, pictured, who helped project-manage the funding deal, said: “Bristol is increasingly being recognised as a major hub for financial services and professional advisory firms. 
“With the city recently named the best place to live in Britain, businesses from across the UK are increasingly drawn to Bristol, recognising the calibre of advice and services available here as demonstrated by this deal and many others. We were very pleased to work with HSBC and to advise Biggin Hill on its exciting expansion plans.
“This fundraising will enable the airport to consolidate its position as a centre of excellence for aviation-led economic growth.”
HSBC corporate banking area director James Shepherd added: “London Biggin Hill Airport is an ambitious business with plans to build more hangar capacity and house internationally recognised engineering and maintenance companies.
“Our experience of funding significant development projects like this helped us put a competitive and flexible finance package in place that has enabled work to start at the airport straight away.”
London Biggin Hill Airport managing director Will Curtis said: “With the support of our corporate finance advisers at Smith & Williamson, we went through a rigorous selection process to make sure we had the right partner in place to help fund the next stage in our development.
“HSBC understood our business model and were genuinely supportive of our plans, backed by a competitive and flexible finance package.”
The funding package will also help meet ambitious employment targets of 2,300 new jobs by 2030 set by the airport and the London Borough of Bromley. The airport celebrates its centenary this year having opened during the First World War to station fighter aircraft protecting London from Zeppelins and German bombers.
