The greenfield project, proposed with 100% private ownership for public use, received in-principle clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in February 2011.

[1] However, the project became dormant because the promoters could not raise the minimum of ₹ 100 crores required to begin construction of the runway.

[1] Citing delays in land acquisition, the company decided to build a shorter 1,250 metre long runway in the first phase, suitable for the operation of 30 seater aircraft[6] The company had planned to expand the airport after five years, extending the runway to 2,600 metres and increasing terminal building capacity to 500 passengers per hour.

A further expansion planned ten years down the line would envisage a 3,500-metre runway and a passenger capacity of 1,000 per hour.

[7] SAPL claimed that construction is would be completed before June 2018,[6] but August 2019, since no progress had been made in executing the project and the licence issued to the company expired, the district administration decided to engage CIAL, the operators of Cochin International Airport to advise it on carrying the airport project forward.